


Fly Me to the Moon

by Corrie71



Series: Moonverse [1]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Bromance to Romance, First Kiss, First Time, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Minor Character Death, Not Beta Read, Parenthood, Romance, post Narada, post-STID
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-25
Updated: 2014-11-22
Packaged: 2018-01-11 03:17:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 23,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1168019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corrie71/pseuds/Corrie71
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After being missing in action for nearly two years, Jim comes home to discover he has a baby son, David, who has been raised by Bones...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is complete with 17 chapters and an epilogue.

[](http://postimage.org/)   
[upload image free](http://postimage.org/)


	2. Chapter 2

James Tiberius Kirk has been missing for exactly twenty-one months, and two days. Bones doesn’t think of him every breath by then. More like every other. At his Atlanta practice, the Christmas party is in full swing. Bones tried to be cheerful for everyone, smiling and laughing, sipping eggnog and sampling holiday treats. He genuinely liked his fellow doctors and the nursing staff, even if they didn’t share the easy camaraderie of the Enterprise medbay. But the party atmosphere reminded him too painfully of Jim. Jim loved to be part of a crowd, the life of any party. His personal comm beeped and, grateful for the excuse, he ducked into his office to take it, letting the door swish shut behind him.

“He’s back.” Uhura’s calm, clear voice said. Bones sagged into his desk chair, rubbing his hands over his face, letting out the breath he’d been holding for twenty-one months and two days. “He’s asking for you.”

“I’ll be there. I just…don’t want him to see… in front of all the cameras.” Bones didn’t ask where Kirk has been all this time, knowing that if anyone could cheat death, come back from an adventure like that one, it’s Jim Kirk. They’d been exploring at the edge of known space, circling a tiny planet named Nilbog and probing a space analomy found there. Kirk, bored and always the one to jump for an away mission, piloted a shuttle with a small crew out to explore the planetoid. At twelve minutes into the mission, the shuttle disappeared--just winked out of existence.

Twenty-one months and two days ago.

* * *

Several weeks later, just days after Christmas, at sunrise in Atlanta, Bones boarded a charter shuttle out to San Francisco. He deliberately waited to miss all the hoopla about Jim’s latest returning hero routine. As he flew, he stared out the window, wondering if he’d spot Riverside Shipyards as it whizzed past. 

He remembered the first time Jim had commandeered a shuttle—illegally, of course—out of the Academy, insisting that it would help Bones over come his aviaphobia. Expertly, Jim flew them up into low earth orbit as Bones kept his eyes tightly screwed shut.

“See? Space is more than darkness and death and disease, Bones. Though it is pretty quiet up here.” He leaned over and, grabbing Bones’ wrists, pulled his hands away from his face. 

“Look outside, Bones. Isn’t it beautiful?” Bones cracked open his eyelids. And he could sort of see what Jim meant. Being up in the black was sort of peaceful, if you could get over the fear of imminent, fiery death or plummeting back to earth to crash and shatter on impact or one tiny crack in the hull…

“Look, I think it’s a falling star. Did you make a wish?”

“Next it will be glitter and flying unicorns.” Bones rolled his eyes, hoping Jim wouldn’t let go of his wrists, pretending he didn’t want to clasp their fingers together and just cling. The touch helped him to feel moored up here, drifting along in the vast blackness.

“I think flying unicorns are called pegasus.” 

“Pegasi don’t have horns.” Bones corrected absently, trying to spot constellations in the stars around him, to help anchor himself in the void. Jim grinned at him. “What?”

“Just that you’re arguing with me in space. You’re getting comfortable up here, Bones.” 

“I still might throw up on you, kid.”

Eventually, Bones had been comfortable, happy even, up in the black with Jim and the Enterprise. Then, Jim disappeared and everything changed. He swiped his hands on his jeans, trying to imagine what it would be like to see Jim again after all this time. He’d missed his best friend even as he’d grieved and mourned for him. It was nothing short of miraculous to have Jim returned to them. How Jim would adjust to all the changes since he’d been gone? Fighting a mixture of hope and dread, Bones joined Spock and Uhura at their sunny San Francisco apartment, with soaring views of the bay. He fought his nerves by pacing around their living room.

“How does he seem?” Bones asked Nyota.

“The Captain appears to be remarkably unchanged. He and the shuttle crew experienced their time away as just a few moments. No more than a half an hour.” Spock said but Bones looked to Uhura.

“He’s been asking for you, every day since he got back.” She smiled at him and patted his arm as the doorbell rang.

Bones turned to the door, as Spock welcomed Jim inside. He looked exactly the same as he had the day he disappeared—young, healthy, and handsome. Instead of command yellow, he wore jeans with a slate colored hoodie that made his eyes seem impossibly blue, the color of a Orion lagoon. Jim glanced across the room, saw Bones, and an enormous smile creased his handsome face. 

“Bones!” Jim charged across the room and embraced his old friend. “Where ya been, man? I’ve been dying to see you.”

Bones could not force words out, could not possibly explain what he’s done these past two years. Though Jim experienced his time in the black hole as only minutes, Bones endured nearly a million moments of missing Jim. Bones embraced him tightly in return, inhaling the wonderful scent of Jim, sunshine and oranges, feeling him strong, whole, and safe beneath his hands. Bones buried his face in Jim’s neck and swallowed the tears that threatened. They clung to each other for several long moments and if their eyes were wet when they separated, neither mentioned it. Jim glanced around, swiping at the wetness beneath his eyes, as Bones did the same.

“That’s a nice view.” He walked toward the window. Nyota stood with a child in her arms, looking out the window. She pointed out the clouds to the baby, the sunlight gilding the child’s curls.

“Spock? Uhura? Did you guys have a little one? You didn’t tell me that.”

Nyota turned and Jim saw the child face to face for the first time. His jaw dropped into an almost comical expression of shock, his mouth a perfect oval. Bones choked down a laugh at his reaction but the baby didn’t. The child laughed joyfully and clapped its tiny hands, looking just like Jim in miniature. 

Bones said, “Jim, this is David. Your son.”


	3. Chapter 3

Jim blinked at the baby. The boy. His son. He heard what Bones said but couldn’t process the words. They made no sense, as though Bones spoke in an alien tongue.

“Is this some crazy lab stunt you two cooked up?” Jim looked from Spock to Bones. “Some sort of clone or something?”

“David’s mother was Carol Marcus,” Spock said.

“Was?” Jim stared at him for a heartbeat and then instinctively looked to Bones for an explanation.

“Transporter accident. She’s dead, Jim.” 

Jim looked back at the baby, still cradled in Nyota’s arms. Jim had seen holographs of himself as a baby—they were always published in the press around his birthday—and this child looked exactly like him. After staring at the giggling child, Jim looked back at Bones. “How is this possible?”

“Surely you know the mechanics of human reproduction, Captain.” At Spock’s words, Bones rubbed a hand over his face, clearly trying hard not to laugh. 

“Jim, do you recall anything that happened before your shuttle disappeared? Carol always indicated to me that David was conceived shortly before…” Bones flushed a bit but kept eye contact with Jim. 

The shuttle bay… he’d hooked up with Carol just before leaving on his last away mission…just before being sucked into a black hole. And the moment had been so insignificant to him that he’d forgotten it until just now, until faced with the living breathing consequence.

A child. His son.

He never intended to be anyone’s father. He stumbled to the sofa and sat down heavily. Bones sat in the chair across from him. For several moments, Jim stared blankly at a blue glass bowl centerpiece, filled with shiny silver spheres. In the reflection, he could see his gobsmacked face. 

“Jim, do you remember anything?” Bones asked softly.

“Yes, I mean…that’s possible, I guess.” Jim shrugged and glanced up at Bones.

“Well, that encounter produced David. He came on Christmas Eve. He just turned one last week.” One? His son was already a year old. 

“Would you like to hold him, Jim?” Nyota asked, gently. Jim nodded and she stepped over to him, gently placing the baby on Jim’s lap. The child—David—was a warm, comforting weight across his knees. Father and son stared at each other for several heartbeats before David struggled to stand on his lap, using Jim’s shoulders for balance. Instinctively, Jim placed his hands on the baby’s torso to help him balance. The baby ran a hand over Jim’s nose and patted his cheeks, bouncing happily. He gave him a gummy smile, just a few pearly teeth peeking through, and, after several seconds, Jim returned it. He pretended not to notice both Bones and Nyota wiping tears. 

Soon though, David fussed to be let down. Clutching the sofa and then the coffee table for support, he cruised toward Bones. When he grabbed Bones’ leg, he lifted his arms to Bones. Bones picked him up and soothed him, cradling his head against his shoulder, patting his back. David nestled into Bones, clearly comforted, his eyelids heavy. Was that was a genetic Kirkian trait—to be comforted by Bones? Jim couldn’t count the times he’d rested his head on Bones’ shoulder, either too drunk or to injured to stand, knowing that his doctor would take care of him. His son clearly felt the same. 

“It’s nearly naptime, I think. Not sure what time it is in Atlanta,” Bones said.

“It is 10:35 am, Atlanta time.” Spock contributed and Bones nodded. “Naptime, like I said.”

David raised his head, patting Bones’ cheek, “Dadda.”

“My son calls you daddy?” 

Nyota rolled her eyes. “Who do you think has been raising him for the past year?”

“You’re raising my son?” 

“That’s why I left Starfleet, Jim.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim finds out more about David's first year followed by the first of several necessary heart-to-hearts between Jim and Bones...

“Jim, I’m sure you’ve got lots of questions. Let me get David down for his nap and we’ll talk, okay?” Bones said, rocking the sleepy child on his shoulder. Jim nodded, still feeling disoriented and numb. Spock led Bones down the hall toward the bedrooms and Nyota sat next to Jim on the sofa. She reached over and took his hand. They sat quietly for several moments, Jim still desperately struggling to make sense of his new reality. He couldn’t seem to hold a thought in his head for very long. Instead, his mind kept returning to a buzzing sort of comforting blankness.

“He’s a happy baby, Jim.” Jim nodded, still feeling blank and calm. “Would you like to see some holos of his first year?”

At Jim’s shrug, Nyota picked up a PADD and queued up a photo album. Together, they watched the slide show. The first shots were of a tired looking Carol, beaming as she held a blanket wrapped baby. He and Carol had a child—a son—together. She’d been a member of his crew, fought to save him after Khan, and chased after him, desperate for his attention, for years. 

He tried to remember why he’d suddenly given in that day, after basically ignoring her advances for so long. He’d seen Bones eating lunch with Carrie, the new nurse, smiling and laughing with her. Because he’d been jealous of his crush paying attention to someone else, he’d shared a quick, furtive coupling with Carol before dashing off on the first dangerous away mission he could find. Then, he’d disappeared and she’d had his baby. And now she was dead. 

Jim scrubbed his hands over his face, trying to focus on the several hospital shots of a grinning Bones in scrubs behind Carol, still holding newborn David. If Jim hadn’t known better, he would have thought he was looking at a happy family. He couldn’t help but wonder if Carol and Bones had gotten together and shook his head to clear it. Jealousy over who Bones might be with was not something he needed right now. Look where his inappropriate jealousy had gotten him already.

There were several adorable shots of tiny David, sleeping, still resembling a bald burrito, only the blankets and baby clothes changing, with various visitors—mostly the bridge crew— posed next to his crib. 

“Sleeping is what newborns do most of the time.” Nyota commented. He would have to take her word for it, as he’d never been near one.

Next came David sitting with the Easter Bunny, his resemblance to Jim becoming more pronounced, blonde curls beginning to wisp around his bald head. His lagoon blue eyes gave away both his father and his grandfather. There was no doubt this child was a Kirk. Next, there were several of a shirtless Bones cuddling a progressively larger David, who seemed more awake and animated in each picture.

“Leo practiced kangaroo care with him—bonding skin to skin.” Jim nodded, trying not to pay more attention to Bones in the pictures than David. Another photo of a shirtless Bones relaxing on his back in a hammock, nuzzling a laughing David. Bones made a really hot daddy, Jim thought, and then choked back his hysterical laughter. Nyota patted his arm.

“He was Winnie the Pooh for Halloween.”

She showed him David dressed as a chubby teddy bear. Jim nodded, staring at the next holo of the baby dressed in a “My First Thanksgiving” bib with a large turkey leg on the tray in front of him, Scotty and Uhura posed behind him. Several photos of David in Santa’s lap, tugging on his white beard, followed. Then, David seated among a pile of presents, a brightly lit tree behind him, waving a soft-looking starship rattle. 

“I think Scotty sent him the rattle. Leo said it was his favorite present.”

“Bones is raising my son.” Jim breathed, suddenly realizing the enormity of the task his best friend had undertaken for him. He’d given up his career in Starfleet, given up all he’d worked for, given up the life he’d so carefully created…all because of Jim Kirk’s dumb mistake…

“Wouldn’t you have done the same for me?” Bones asked, walking down the hall. “Of course, I’ve raised him. We live in Atlanta. I have a private practice and a very good nanny.”

“We’ll watch David while you two chat.” After she disappeared down the hall, Bones crossed the room and took the chair across from Jim again, propping his elbows on his knees, his hands loosely clasped. He drew a deep breath but waited for Jim to speak first. 

“For me, just a few weeks ago, we were running around the Enterprise, off on yet another mission. I’d hooked up with Carol in the shuttle bay.”

“I’m pretty sure I didn’t need that detail, cowboy.” Bones held out his hands, palms up.

“And then headed out in that shuttle. I got sucked into a black hole. Next thing I remember, I’m dropping out of deep space. The Washington picked me up and I found out I’d been gone nearly two years. The thing that is so weird is that I haven’t changed much. But you all… I mean, Sulu at the helm of the Enterprise, you gone from Starfleet, Nyota and Spock bonded. I missed the wedding. I missed my son’s birth. I missed so much.”

Bones sighed and nodded. “I was at David’s birth.”

“Is this going to be another Gorn octoplet story?”

“No, not like that. She said that if she couldn’t have you with her for the birth, she wanted me. That it was like having your brother with her. I was her birth coach.”

‘You and Carol? Did you all…?” Jim wasn’t sure why this was important to him, why he kept focusing on this fact over everything else. It wasn’t like he had feelings for Carol, after all. 

“No. I mean, she was beautiful and smart and all that but obviously over the moon for you.” Bones shifted in his chair again, glancing out the window. Jim didn’t think he was lying but maybe he wasn’t telling the whole truth either. He remembered Bones and Carol and the torpedoes. His friend’s teasing banter with her. Had his friend had a crush on Carol?

“How old was David when…”

“She died in February after his birth. He was just over two months.”

“And then you got him?”

“Pretty much. I mean, Carol didn’t have any family left. Your mom…wasn’t interested.” Jim shrugged. Winona hadn’t been interested in her own kids. He wasn’t surprised to hear she’d ignore a grandchild. “And so I took him. I tried to stay here in San Francisco at first, a dirt side assignment, but single parenting and Starfleet Medical just don’t mix. We moved to Atlanta in June.”

“Bones, I don’t know what to say. I don’t know how to say thank you.”

“Now, perhaps, you can forgive me for not being here when they welcomed you home. I didn’t want the first time you saw him to be in front of the media vultures.” Jim nodded his understanding, grateful for Bones’ forethought. “David’s a sunny child. He reminds me so much of you. Every day. I’m sure he’ll transition to living with you easily.”

“Living with me? I don’t…He’s a baby. I don’t know how to take care of a baby.”

“You’ll do what every other parent has done since the beginning of time. You’ll learn.” Bones pressed his lips together, looking away.

“Bones, you have to help me.” Jim lurched across the coffee table, upending the centerpiece. The silver spheres clattered to the floor and rolled away. He grabbed Bones’ arm, panic swamping him. Bones couldn’t honestly expect that he—Jim Kirk—could raise a baby. He could barely keep himself alive most of the time. “I can’t do this alone.”

“I have a life now, Jim. A practice in Atlanta.” Bones patted his hand, trying to be reassuring. Jim gripped harder. This close, he caught the citrus undertone in Bones’ cologne and then realized he was hyperventilating.

“We can get you re-commissioned in Starfleet. Go back up on the Enterprise.” Jim pleaded.

“Jimmy, the Enterprise belongs to Sulu now. Plus, I’m pretty sure they aren’t going to clear you for duty any time soon. Space is no place for a baby.”

“Fine. I’ll come home to Atlanta with you.” Jim felt instantly calm in the aftermath of that decision so he knew it was the right one.

“I don’t know, Jim…”

“I don’t know how to care for a baby. You have to teach me. Bones, please.”

“What about Starfleet? You can’t just hightail off to Georgia.”

“I’ve got a few weeks of leave.” Bones glanced out the window, worrying his bottom lip with his teeth. Finally, he nodded. 

“Okay, Jimmy. You can come home with me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://redxluna.tumblr.com/post/64892903432/im-sorry-but-this-reminded-me-so-painfully-of
> 
> The above link is the photo that inspired the hammock holo mentioned here.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim chooses a new name and learns how to give a baby a bath...

That afternoon, after Jim packed a bag and checked out of his temporary quarters, he, Bones, and David took a charter shuttle back to Atlanta. Starfleet spared no expense for their favorite conquering hero. David indulged in his afternoon nap between them on the plush leather seats as Jim stared blankly out the window, still cushioned in the comforting cocoon of shock he’d been in since Uhura turned and he saw his son for the first time.

“Now, Jim, you have to promise me. No flirting with the nanny. She’s a gem.” Bones said, a smile teasing the corners of his mouth. Jim nodded and glanced back out the window. Bones rubbed his shoulder, his large hand warm and comforting. “You okay, kid?”

“Thanks for that super effective birth control, Bones.” Jim tried to smile at his friend but his cheeks felt stiff.

“Only 99.9% effective, kid. Says it right on the label.” Bones laughed.

“I never planned anything. Never planned my life the way other people did. But, if I did think of the future, it was always me on the Enterprise. You as my CMO. Never planned on…” Here Jim waved in David’s direction and turned back to the window.

“Most people get nine months to plan for their little one. You’ve barely known about David for nine hours. Give yourself a little time to adjust, Jimmy.”

“I’ve never been around a child this long before. He’s terrifying.”

“The man who negotiated peace with the Deeps and the Omegas is terrified of a one year old child. David likes you, Jim. He responds to you. Give yourself some time.” 

Jim nodded and stared down at the child, peaceful sleeping on his back, his arms flung up over his head. Bones carefully tucked a blanket printed with rockets around David’s chest and Jim glanced away. His mother spent most of his childhood escaping to space on missions as often as she could. The black and the stars seemed to call to her blood. She could never resist going, preferring to be free than stuck with the overwhelming responsibility of single parenthood. Turning to glance back at the stars whizzing past, Jim, for the first time in his life, felt an inkling of understanding for her. 

“I’m just not sure I can be anyone’s father.” Jim whispered. 

“You’re already a father.” Jim looked up into Bones’ face. “He’s here, ergo, you are a father.”

“He calls you Daddy. You are his daddy. I’m just his sperm donor.” Jim rubbed shaking hands over his forehead. 

“That all you want to be to David?” Bones said quietly.

“No.” Jim sucked in a breath and sighed. He couldn’t seem to get his stunned mind to think or to plan or to process the shock but he instinctively knew that much.a

“David can’t call you Jim. You’ll have to pick a name.”

“Guess I’ll be Papa.”

* * * 

They arrived at Bones’ home at sunset. Located on a comfortable avenue, shaded with ancient trees, in a plush suburb of Atlanta, the farmhouse was painted a soothing blue nearly the exact color of Bones’ Starfleet medical shirt, complete with dark gray shutters and a gleaming white wraparound porch. Large oak and maple trees, bare now for the winter, shaded the wide yard, and fallow flower beds lined the brick walkway. On the front door, a green wreath with a festive crimson bow welcomed visitors and matched the holiday greenery wound over the porch railings. David waved his arms when he saw it and proclaimed, “Home.”

“That’s right, Davey-kins.” Bones blew a raspberry on his tummy. “Home.”

Inside, the house was comfy and homey, decorated in shades of brown, blue, and cream. Jim immediately felt at home here too but perhaps that was just being with Bones again. Home for him was always wherever Bones was. Bones carried David upstairs, beckoning Jim behind him. He showed Jim to a guest bedroom, with a wide, comfortable bed covered with a colorful patchwork quilt. David’s spaceship themed nursery sat directly across from Bones’ own bedroom. Jim peeked in, surprised to see that Bones still lived mostly out of boxes. Maybe he just hadn’t had time to move fully in yet.

“I’m going to teach you David’s bedtime routine, ok? First step is bath.” Jim nodded and kneaded his fingers together. Bones prepped the bath and stripped David out of his clothes. He carried the baby into the small nursery en suite, with Jim trailing behind. Jim and Bones knelt next to each other on the cold hard tile floor by the tub and Bones gently lowered David into the bath.

“Some babies hate the water but not our David. He’s part fish.” Bones said, in a high singsong voice, as David splashed in the water and gleefully knocked a flotilla of toy boats off the lip of the tub, giggling at each splash.

“He likes splashing.” Jim patted the water to make shallow waves. David looked up at him with a gummy smile and clapped his appreciation.

“Papa is good at making waves, Davey.” Bones laughed. Jim’s stomach dropped at his new moniker. He swallowed and tried to focus. His side was pressed up against Bones and Jim found it difficult to ignore the heat coming from him. Now was not the time to focus on his ever present inconvenient attraction to his best friend. 

Bones soaped up a washcloth and placed it in Jim’s hand. He cradled Jim’s hand in his own and taught him how to scrub the baby gently. Jim’s fingers shook under Bones’ steady hand. Though David was clearly the picture of health, loved, cherished, cared for, to Jim, he was so tiny and fragile. They rinsed David and, just as Bones was reaching to get him out, his little firehose sprayed all over Jim.

“Bones, the baby just peed on me!” 

Bones collapsed against the side of the tub, wheezing with laughter. David giggled, very proud of his accomplishment. Jim glanced between the two, transfixed by the dimples on Bones’ face. He’d never seen his friend look so handsome or so happy. Fatherhood agreed with Bones. He shouldn’t be surprised. Though he didn’t know details about Bones’ messy divorce, being David’s dad, being in private practice, was closer to the road he’d been on before life smacked him down and placed him next to Jim Kirk on that shuttle out of Riverside. 

Jim smiled back at Bones. Everything would be okay if he could just keep Bones by his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I believe this story will be about 15 chapters when it's complete. I am currently writing a second epilogue so it might end up a bit longer. I plan to post a new chapter each Sunday. However, I'm traveling this week so am posting this week's update a bit early. Hope you enjoy!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More of Jim's first night in Atlanta with Bones and David...

Jim laid awake as moonlight crept across the heart pine floor, sorting through the jumbled whirl in his head. He was a papa to a one-year old boy. And his co-parent was Bones. Carol, who he hadn’t loved and who Bones might have, was dead. Repeating the facts in his head did little to help him make any sense of them.

When David started crying in the middle of the night, he froze, totally unsure what to do for the child. _Were you suppose to go to them at this age? Let them cry it out?_ He had no idea. Bones shuffled down the hall and entered the nursery. Jim crept to the nursery door, as his friend scooped the baby out of the crib.

“What’s up, little man? Wet diaper?” Bones spoke softly to the baby, in a tender rasp. He efficiently changed the baby and sat in the padded, comfortable rocker holding David against his chest. Bones tossed a baby blanket over David as the baby fussed and struggled, not at all the peaceful scene depicted in baby product commercials. Bones patted his back and rocked, settling him against his broad shoulder with ease of practice. Bones rested his own head on the rocker back, closing his eyes, continuing to rub the baby’s back in gentle circles.

Then, as Jim watched, leaning against the doorframe, he started to croon to the baby. David fidgeted for a bit longer before settling against Bones to listen to a lullaby about a rocket and a starship. Fatherhood totally transformed his friend from the grouchy, defensive, cantankerous man he’d known. As a doctor, Bones’ compassion and kindness always shone through. He was the best man Jim had ever known. But to see him like this, loving and comforting his son, humbled Jim.

“He likes this song. My momma used to sing it to me. It reminded me of you.” Bones whispered to Jim, still lightly rubbing David’s back, though Jim thought the baby was already asleep.

“You’re an amazing daddy, Bones,” Jim said.

“You’ll be just as good, Jimmy.” 

“How did you learn all this?”

“I did a pediatrics unit in med school and I helped my mom with my sisters a bit. Most of it is just instinct. I’ve been with David every day for nearly a year. We sorta trained each other. You’ll develop it. I’ll give you some books to read on childhood development, if you’d like.” Bones stood and walked the baby over to the crib, lowering him gently onto his back on the mattress. Jim crossed the room to stand next to Bones, looking down at his peacefully sleeping son. 

Suddenly, he couldn’t breathe. He clawed at the collar of his shirt, his knees weakening. Gray poured in at the edges of his vision as his heart tried to punch its way out of his ribcage. Sucking in air, he went to his knees next to the crib, hearing Bones cry his name as though from the other end of a tunnel. Jim stumbled to his feet, dashing down the stairs, through the kitchen to the back porch. He burst outside the house, fighting to suck fresh air into his constricted lungs, his extremities numb and cold. He staggered into the backyard, collapsing to his knees, Bones just a few steps behind him. Jim tilted his head up, toward the night sky, only a few stars visible through Atlanta’s light pollution, seeking to ground himself by getting lost among the stars. 

Bones wrapped his arms around him from the side, his left hand pressed over Jim’s heart. “Just breathe, Jimmy. It’s a panic attack. You’ll be ok.” With his free hand, he rubbed soothing circles over Jim’s clammy skin, kneading the tension out of his shoulders. Jim dropped his forehead to Bones’ shoulder, his breath still sawing in and out and his heart rate jackrabbit fast. Bones anchored him in this universe spinning out of control. They stayed like that for ages, as the dew soaked through Jim’s thin pajama bottoms, until he shivered in the pre-dawn air. 

Finally, with Bones’ help, Jim controlled his breathing enough to stand. “Sorry, Bones.”

“It’s okay, Jimmy. I know it’s a shock.” Bones kept his arm around him and helped him back inside. Just like he did for David, he tucked Jim back into bed, covering him with the warm quilt, running his fingers through his hair. Bones stood to leave the room and Jim grabbed his hand, suddenly reminded of how he’d hated to be alone in the hospital after Khan. Bones used to sit by his bed, every night, until he slept. “Stay. Please.”

Bones held his hand until at last, Jim fell into a dreamless sleep just as the first fingers of dawn pressed against the Atlanta horizon.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim spends his first day with David and Bones...

Jim slept late on Sunday and then helped Bones with laundry and grocery shopping for the week. Jim wouldn’t allow Bones to leave him alone with David for more than two minutes at a time. After his pre-dawn panic attack, Bones let Jim ease into his interactions with the baby. He mostly trailed around after Bones, observing his interactions with David. 

He laughed as Bones and David played peek-a-boo together in the grocery store and also when Bones pushed the baby around the house in the empty laundry basket, to David’s giggling delight. His normally cranky friend became totally unguarded with David, smiling and tossing him in the air. He cared for him with a brisk but gentle efficiency, changing diapers and feeding him with the same competent, compassionate care he provided his patients. At nap time, Bones cradled the baby to his chest, and David nestled down, content to hear Bones’ heartbeat, while Bones read boring medical journals out loud until both the baby and Jim fell asleep.

He and Bones mostly chatted and relaxed, spending a low-key day together. In many ways, other than the awe-inspiring assortment of baby paraphernalia covering every surface, keeping David amused, and a few stinky diapers, it was much like every weekend they’d spent together at the Academy. 

Over dinner, Bones brought up the elephant in the room. “How long is your leave from Starfleet, Jim?”

“I’ve got two weeks at the moment but…” He shrugged. “I don’t even know how much home leave I’ve got stored up. I could probably arrange for a couple of months.” 

_What then?_ Jim had no idea. Bones put his fork down and pushed the still half-full plate of food away. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, a habit Jim had always found especially endearing, and then smiled at the baby. David returned it and then stuffed his mouth with a squished fistful of finger foods that Bones had scattered on his tray. Bones belonged with this child, who adored Bones as much as Jim did. They were profoundly bonded, in ways that Jim was certain he would never achieve. 

How would they reconcile this impossible situation? He and Bones could live together—though how long could they live in the same house without Jim caving one day and grabbing Bones and… There’d been several close calls over the years, several times that Jim thought they’d finally cross the bright line between platonic friendship and tearing each other’s clothes off. It had never happened though, leading Jim to the obvious conclusion that Bones just wasn’t interested. So, when Jim finally cracked and and acted on his long-simmering feelings, where would they all be when Bones rejected him? 

If they did all live together, here in Atlanta, (and Jim managed to keep his hands to himself) Jim could commute to a dirt side Starfleet posting somewhere. San Francisco was still a shambles, even three years after Khan, but there were postings every where. Whether Starfleet would let him stay dirt side was another matter…no, they’d want him sailing the stars again. And it wasn’t like Jim was qualified for a career outside of Starfleet. Bones could walk away from Starfleet but Jim couldn’t, even if he wanted to.

“What do other Starfleet parents do?” Jim demanded suddenly and Bones glanced up, letting the applesauce he’d been feeding David drip onto the baby’s tray.

“Some take dirt side postings, some go to Starbases or colonies, a very few are on starships but the kids on there are usually older—twelve at least. Some are assigned to short-hop ships and leave the kids dirt side.” 

“My mom told me once that she and my dad were heading back to teach at the Academy when they ran into Nero. They’d left my brother with my grandparents for one more milk run before I arrived. Didn’t turn out that way.” Jim shrugged.

“Teaching’s an option. I tried that but I had to cover shifts at the medbay too. I couldn’t keep a nanny as a single parent and the day care center was out with my overnight and weekend shifts.” 

Jim thought back to the day before and Bones’ casual confidence that Jim would have raised his child, had their situations been reversed. He doubted that. He would have provided for the child, certainly, but raise one? Jim would like to think he’d be that good of a friend but…

“Jim, we’ll figure something out. We always do.” Jim nodded as Bones stood to clear the table. “So, in this job, I keep basic office hours. I typically leave for the day about 8 and get home by 6, except Thursdays which are my surgery days. Mrs. Taylor is here by 7:30 every morning. She’s fantastic with David, a real gem. I meant what I said on the shuttle, Jim. No flirting.” Bones washed dishes and Jim leaned against the counter next to him while David played in his high chair.

“Bones, can you maybe take some more time off?” Jim grabbed his soapy wrist and gave Bones his best puppy dog pleading look, forgetting that Bones was immune to Jim’s looks. 

“I can’t. I’m sorry. I just started this job in September so I don’t have much leave. You’ll be fine. Mrs. Taylor will help you with David.”

“Bones, I don’t know how to do any of this.” Jim rubbed his hands over his face again. “I’ve never been around kids much at all. Certainly not kids as young as David.” 

“Look, it’s nearly story time. You can read. Why don’t you sit down and read to him while he plays?” Bones settled Jim on the floor with an assortment of board books and placed David next to him.

“Where’s the PADD?” 

“Yeah, they don’t really make PADDs for babies. Use these.” Bones handed him a book and Jim read the Very Hungry Caterpillar to David, who cruised over to dump out his toy bin nearly immediately.

“Bones, he’s ignoring me.”

“He isn’t. It’s helping with his language development. Keep reading.” Bones said as he headed back over to finish the dishes.

Jim read another book aloud—that Doctor Seuss must have been on some good drugs--and then David came over and dropped a soft green block in his lap. “Towa!” 

After he repeated the action twice, Jim cottoned on, “You want a tower?” 

David scampered off to the block pile and Jim crawled over to build the tower with him. They piled the blocks together and then David gleefully knocked it down. Jim laughed. He might not know how to care for the child but he could build block towers all night. After about twenty minutes of block towers, David became fussy. 

“What’s the matter with him, Bones?”

Bones walked over, drying his hands on a dishtowel. David reached for Bones, who swung him easily onto his hip. “He’s tired. Past his bedtime.”

Jim observed the bedtime routine again and, once David was in his crib, they walked into the hall.

“You want to watch a vid or something?” Jim asked. Bones shrugged. They went downstairs and sipped beers while watching some stupid holo-vid with a thousand explosions in it. Bones assured Jim it was the biggest hit in the time he’d been gone even though it was utterly devoid of plot. He turned to tell Bones so but his friend was fast asleep. After having spent a full day with David, Jim understood why Bones was exhausted. 

At the Academy, he often laid in his narrow bunk, the lights dimmed, watching Bones sleep. Somehow, watching his friend sleep, his normal scowl relaxed so that he looked younger, his legendary hands resting on his stomach, was one of the most intimate things Jim had ever done with anyone. Jim catalogued the changes that his absence had brought to his peacefully sleeping friend. Bones’ raven hair was a bit longer than when he’d served on the Enterprise and his face bore more smile lines now. Even in sleep, Bones was still devastatingly gorgeous. 

When David fussed, Jim started to wake Bones but instead tossed a soft blue throw from the back of the couch over his friend and mounted the stairs to deal with his son. Unfortunately, David had other plans. He howled louder when he saw it was Jim and not Bones to care for him. Jim searched for a clean diaper and a change of clothes. This kid had clothes—he’d folded enough of the tiny little garments during laundry day. He chattered to the baby, who was now red-faced and wailing his furious displeasure at Jim’s ineptitude. 

“Baby, I’m trying.” Jim picked up a diaper and yanked on it to unfold it, sending the plastic tabs careening across the room. “Shit! I mean, darn.” 

Bones chuckled from behind him and crossed the room. Thank God, the calvary was here. His sleepy faced Bones picked up another diaper and had David changed and in dry clothes in less than a minute. He sat Jim in the rocker and placed David on his lap. “Hold him while I change the crib sheet. Sing to him. He likes that.”

“I can’t sing.” Jim tried to hand the baby back but Bones pushed David toward Jim.

“You can sing. I’ve heard you warble away in the shower for years.” Bones stepped over to the dresser and rummaged for a sheet.

Jim put his red-faced and enraged son up on his shoulder, rubbing his back as he’d seen Bones do. The position felt awkward and unnatural at first, especially as David struggled and writhed against him. He rocked and crooned the only song he knew by heart, an old Frank Sinatra favorite _Fly Me to the Moon_ that his mom used to sing to him. David nestled against his shoulder, still crying but at a decreasing volume. Maybe he’d be able to get the hang of this fatherhood stuff eventually.

Bones finished changing the bed and knelt next to the rocker, patting David’s back. David reached for Bones but he whispered, “Papa’s got you, Davey-kins.” Jim rocked and sang until his voice went raspy and David fell into a deep sleep on his shoulder. Bones stayed next to him, his hand over Jim’s on the baby’s back, pressing Jim’s hand in slow circles. 

Their eyes met in the nightlight dim room, the shockingly intense awareness that always underlaid their friendship sparking between them. Bones moistened his lips and they leaned toward each other. Just as their mouths were scant inches from meeting, finally acting on this simmering need, David shifted against Jim’s shoulder. Jim jerked back to steady the child. Bones helped him place David in the crib and they awkwardly parted in the hallway, Jim’s heart pounding and his blood racing from their near kiss.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a snow day here today so have a bonus chapter :-) This one is a bit short as Jim spends his first full day alone with David...

The next morning, David awoke them all by 6:30. Jim sat with him in the kitchen, David safely ensconced in his highchair nibbling on cheerios, as Bones dressed. When he came down to the kitchen, Jim turned to hand him his commuter mug of coffee. He splashed hot coffee onto his hand when he bobbled it at the sight of Bones. He wore a tailored dark grey suit, with a blue shirt and navy tie. He’d never seen his friend in a suit before and swallowed convulsively against his suddenly dry mouth. _Good God, the man probably had to beat the ladies off with a stick._ Bones was one of those men that got better looking as he aged. Jim flashed to the scruffy man he’d meet aboard the shuttle nearly eight years before and could barely reconcile that memory to the sharply dressed man in front of him.

“Wow. Bones. Looking good.” Jim managed to rasp out, desperately pushing away the thought of their near kiss last night. _Do not think of it. Do not think how close you were to finally kissing that tempting mouth, to taking what you’ve ached for._ Of course, attempting to block the thoughts only led to them playing in a continuous loop in his mind. How Bones’ eyes looked like the finest bourbon in the dim light of the room, the way his dark hair tumbled across his forehead in messy bangs. _How his breath felt on your cheek as you leaned in, just a fraction of space between you… How long you laid awake last night, aching to walk the short distance down the hall and climb into Bones’ bed, the two of you tangling together…_

Bones’ ears turned red as he bent to give David a kiss on his forehead. An older woman, dressed in a comfy black tracksuit, embroidered with gold lions, stepped into the kitchen. Her blue-white hair was cut short, in a hairstyle close to Jim’s own, but her brown eyes were warm and her smile wide. David waved when he saw her. 

“Mornin’, Miz Taylor.” Bones said. “This is my friend, Jim.”

Bones glanced at Jim, who met his eyes. They hadn’t come up with a cover story for the nanny and Jim knew Bones was trying to decide if he should confide David’s relationship to Jim to her. He shrugged, leaving the decision to Bones.

“I’ve seen you on the holo-vids. Never thought I’d meet the famous Captain Kirk in person.” Mrs. Taylor spoke in a slow, syrupy drawl but she offered Jim her hand with a smile. He shook Mrs. Taylor’s hand and gave her a quick smile. “Course, never thought I’d be working for Doctor Bones either.”

Jim raised his eyebrows at the nickname as Bones glanced at his chronometer. Bones grabbed his black leather briefcase and headed toward the door, calling over his shoulder, “I’ll see you all around six. Bye, Davey-boy.”

Just like that, Bones dashed out the door, leaving Jim alone with his baby son and the nanny. Jim thought he’d prefer to face down a squad of angry Klingons than spend the day sinking in domesticity in the burbs. 

* * *

True to his word, Bones walked in the door at six, his jacket gone, his tie loose around his throat and his top button undone. Mrs. Taylor fed David dinner in the kitchen while Jim, feeling like he’d been driven over by a fleet of hover trucks, lay on his back on the den floor. Bones greeted David and Mrs. Taylor before walking into the den. 

“You okay, Jimmy?” 

“We played blocks, we knocked the blocks down. We ran around. We hid all the trucks. We played peek-a-boo. We played at the train table. That was the first hour. We read books. We rolled a ball. We did all that over again.” Jim raised his head to peer at Bones, propping himself on his elbows. “I thought it might be better once he got his one hour of screen time but have you ever watched children’s holo-vids? Those people deserve medals. Or they should be made to share their drugs.”

Bones laughed. “He is high-energy, that’s for sure. Wonder where he gets that from.”

“The only time that little tornado stopped was nap time. I’m exhausted.” Jim flopped back on the floor and David, released from his highchair, dashed over in an ungainly toddler clomp—no longer clutching furniture for support but not that steady on his legs yet either. He jumped on Jim’s chest, giggling and laughing, delighted with his new playmate. Jim smiled and hugged him, not opening his eyes. Despite his Bones-like complaining, he’d enjoyed his day with David far more than he’d imagined he would.

“I think Papa’s a bit worn down this evening, David. How about giving Daddy a hug and kiss?” Bones picked the baby off Jim’s chest and shifted David to his hip. Jim closed his eyes, convinced he could sleep right here on the floor. Bones walked over to the kitchen to get a report from Mrs. Taylor, jouncing David on his hip. He saw her to the front door and came back to the kitchen. 

“What do you want for dinner, Jim?” Bones called, as he opened the fridge. They ended up ordering a pizza. Jim dozed on the den floor as Bones got the baby ready for bed. When the pizza arrived, Jim’s stomach rumbled even though he felt too tired to chew. He slumped into a chair at the table. Midway through his second slice, Jim put his head down on his arm, his two sleepless nights catching up with him.

“Not sure which one of you I should tuck into bed first. Go on to bed, Jimmy. I got this.” And Jim, gratitude and guilt warring in him, went to bed and fell into a dreamless sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

On Thursday, Bones, though he tried to rush home from work, got home later than he planned. By the time he got home, Mrs. Taylor had long since left for the day. He dashed in the door to find Jim and David, both already dressed in pajamas, sitting on the sofa, board books strewn around them, toys scattered across the floor, on a holo-call with Uhura. 

Jim sat, with his arm around the baby next to him, looking far more casual and comfortable with his son than Bones had seen him yet. He’d gotten steadily more confident with the baby in the four days he’d been in Georgia and had devoured the books on babies and child development that Bones gave him. As Bones had witnessed over and over again at the Academy, if there was something Jim Kirk decided to learn, no power in heaven or earth could stop him.

“We went to David’s Dancing Babies class today. Just when I thought that nothing could be worse than kid’s holo-vids…” Uhura laughed at the disgusted expression on Jim’s face. 

David chewed contentedly on his beloved starship rattle, occasionally removing it from his mouth to babble and smile at Uhura. David enjoyed flirting with Uhura, bashfully playing peek-a-boo with her and giving her his best gummy smiles. 

“Bones is home. Say bye-bye to Aunt Uhura, David.” Jim helped David wave at the screen. 

“He calls me Auntie Ny.” She said, waving back to David and blowing kisses to the baby. 

Jim raised his brows and shared a grin with Bones. “How come he gets first name basis?”

“I changed his diapers.” Uhura laughed. “Hi, Leo!”

“How you feeling, Ny?” Bones asked.

“Good.” Uhura blushed slightly. Confused, Jim glanced between the screen and Bones. 

“You take care of yourself. Doctor’s orders, sweetheart.” Uhura nodded and ended the call. Jim stared for a second, puzzled and then realization hit his friend. Jim always was too smart, too insightful for his own good. 

“Uhura’s pregnant?” Jim gasped. Bones dropped his briefcase on the floor, sighed, and shrugged. He’d know soon enough anyway. “What is happening to my crew? First weddings and now babies. What is happening to everyone?”

“That’s called growing up, Peter Pan.” Bones said wryly. “And no one said that Uhura…”

“You didn’t have to say it! Who else?”

“You know that Sulu took the Enterprise. Did you know that Chekov is his First Officer?”

“So?” Bones raised his eyebrows suggestively. “No. No way. Positively not. You are screwing with me.”

“And last I heard Scotty and Rand were about to go on their third date. You know what that means?”

“I cannot even imagine him on a date.” Jim scrubbed his hands over his eyes. “All he’ll talk about his engines.”

“But he’s got that cute Scottish brogue.” Bones laughed and crossed the room to take David. He tossed him up in the air, making the baby squeal with giggles, and then cuddled him against his chest. David dropped his head to Bones’ shoulder with a contented sigh. Bones nuzzled the top of his head, inhaling his sweet baby scent, rocking the baby in his arms. His favorite moment of the day.

“The Enterprise isn’t a family ship. We’re not meant…” 

“Jim, the Enterprise has sailed. Sulu and Chekov aren’t due back for another two years. Uhura and Spock are both teaching at the Academy. It’s the perfect time to start a family. And Scotty is busy building the next class of ships, now with more and better ways to get us all killed.”

“Through a mirror, darkly… It’s like I came back and everyone is just fractured.” Bones eyed him a bit warily, as Jim clenched his hands into fists and then buried his face in his arms. Jim had been handling this seismic shock so well since his panic attack early on Sunday. In truth, Jim was adapting to fatherhood far better than most people would have after having a one year old child dumped on their lap. But Bones couldn’t deny that the world Jim had returned to was very different from the one he’d left.

“Let me go get David down for the night and we’ll talk, ok?” Bones patted his shoulder and, after grabbing a bottle from the kitchen, headed upstairs with David. He rocked the baby, anxiety and worry for Jim churning in his gut. Once he got the baby down, he returned downstairs to find Jim still sitting in the same position, hunched over on himself. Bones sat next to him, putting his arm around Jim, who put his head on Bones’ shoulder. He looked up at Bones, his eyes red-rimmed and wet. His tears highlighted the electric blue of his eyes, a mosaic of color this close. Bones rubbed his shoulders, trying to think of something comforting to say. 

“I have no idea what I’m supposed to do. I come back from a black hole. My ship is gone. My friends are scattered. I just wanted to see you so fucking much and no one would tell me where you were or why you weren’t there.”

“Jim, I wanted to see you too. I told you why I didn’t come right away. I missed you terribly while you were gone. Those first months—“ Bones swallowed and shook his head, not wanting to remember the agony of it, of losing Jim, again. “The only thing that pulled me out of the bottle was Carol telling me she was pregnant. And then, having David…it was like having a little piece of you back.”

Jim turned into his arms, wrapping his own arms around Bones and pressing his face to his neck. Bones stroked his back, trying to provide comfort any way he could. 

“Then I finally see you. And then you present me with a baby. A son. With a woman I wasn’t even interested in.”

“You can’t say that in front of him. He shouldn’t know that about his mother.” Bones snapped and Jim pushed away.

“What am I supposed to tell him when he grows up? That I was head over heels in love with his mother? I barely knew the woman. You knew her better than I did.”

“Obviously not, Jim.”

“She kept throwing herself at me every time I turned around and, hey, I’ll admit it. I was horny and lonely and the person I wanted didn’t want me. So, I took advantage...” 

“You’re a genius. Come up with something better than that. And what do you mean…”

“Bones, I want my life back.”

“You can’t have that. I’m sorry, Jim. But you can’t. You have a son now. A child to take care of. A child that needs a father.”

“My son already has a father. He has you. I have no idea how to be a dad.”

“Jim, you’re a good person. You’ve done a great job learning in just a few days…”

“That baby loves you, Bones. He belongs with you.” 

“So what? You’re going to jaunt off to space and leave him?” Jim crossed his arms over his chest, his jaw set mutinously and his eyes stormy. Bones hated it when Jim got that expression on his face. “Just like your momma did to you?”

“No, because he’d have you. Winona went off to space and left me and Sam with Frank. And he took it upon himself to discipline us into submission. It was so awful that I thought a goddamn holiday was going off to Tarsus.”

Jim had never spoken so plainly of his past before. He’d known, of course, figured most of it out, pieced it together from the medical references. Still, having it stated so starkly…

“I don’t even know what a family does. You had that growing up. I didn’t.”

“You may not have had it growing up but you created it on the Enterprise.”

“David belongs with you. It’s plain to see that child adores you just as much as you adore him. You are his daddy.”

“You are his father.”

“Maybe I’ll earn the title of Papa someday but David and you belong together. I miss my ship, Bones. I miss being up in the black. I don’t think I can stay dirtside very long.”

“Are you asking me if I’ll raise your son while you jaunt off to sail the stars?” Bones’ stomach dropped. He’d been afraid it would come to this. Jim might not believe in them but this was a classic no-win situation for Bones—his son or his friend. 

“Our son. He’s yours far more than he is mine. No, I am not asking you that.”

“So what? You’re going to take him off to sail the stars with you?” Bones whispered his worst fear, Jim taking the baby and leaving him behind. After all, he had no legal right to David now that his biological father was back…

“No, because I cannot imagine being without you either. I belong with you too and I’m selfish enough to finally admit it.” 

Jim’s gaze met his and they stared at each other for a few heartbeats. When Jim had been…gone…Bones ached for all the missed opportunities to act on the sexual tension that always simmered just beneath the surface of their friendship. His biggest regret was not taking Jim to bed as he’d wanted to for years. It’d never happened, despite several near misses and close calls over the years. 

Bones swiped his tongue over his lower lip before Jim leaned forward and pressed his plush lips against Bones’ mouth. He cradled Bones’ head in his hand as he slanted his mouth over his, swallowing Bones’ needy moan. Bones slipped his hands around Jim’s waist, pulling him closer, pressing them together. The spicy citrus cologne that Jim always wore, that reminded Bones of sunshine and oranges, made his head swim. Jim’s tongue teased over Bones’ lower lip and, when Bones moaned again, Jim plundered his mouth. Jim straddled him, grinding himself against Bones, undoing the top buttons on his dress shirt, licking and kissing his way down his neck. Bones gripped his hips and pulled him closer, sliding his hands under the t-shirt Jim wore, feeling him whole, real, safe beneath his hands.

Some dim part of Bones’ brain knew this was a horrible idea, a terrible risk to shift their relationship from platonic friends to kissing like they were starving for the taste of each other, especially with everything so unsettled between them. How had they gotten out of control so fast? He’d known they’d be like this, if they ever let that underlying passionate heat overtake them, incinerate everything in its path. God help him, he wanted this…wanted Jim. Always. Only Jim. 

Bones reached for the hem of the t-shirt Jim wore to rip it off him when David’s fussy cry from the baby monitor stopped them both. Jim raised his head to listen, his breathing harsh and loud in the quiet room. Reluctantly, Bones pushed Jim away and stood. As he mounted the stairs, he thought of how foolish he was being. Only moments before their little make out session, Jim told him that he missed the black. A shooting star like Jim would never stay earthbound for very long.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bones comes to a realization...

When Bones arrived in the nursery, he found a red-faced and irritable David sitting up in his crib. He pressed the back of his hand to David’s forehead. _Hmm…he was warmer than he should be._ Bones picked David up and put him on his hip as he rummaged for his personal medikit.

“What do you have going on, baby-kins? Are you getting a new tooth?” David gnawed on his fingers and pulled on his right ear. “Or is it a little ear infection?”

“Why are you running the tricorder over him?” Jim demanded from the doorway, panic in his voice. “What’s the matter with him?” 

“He’s got a slight fever. It could be teething or an ear infection.” Bones answered absently, his eyes on the tricorder readout. “Ear infection. Let me transmit the data to his pediatrician so she can call in an antibiotic for him.” 

Fussy and red faced, David clung to Bones who walked with him across the floor, trailed by a fretting Jim. “Can’t you give him a hypo or something for the pain?” 

“See? You are turning into a dad.” Bones smiled as he patted Jim’s shoulder, pushing away the thought of their little make-out session. He was a doctor. He was good at compartmentalizing. “It’s just a little ear infection, Jimmy. He’ll be ok.”

“Are you sure? You’re a surgeon, not a pediatrician.” 

Bones would have been insulted at Jim’s questioning of his medical abilities, except he remembered his own panic at David’s first ear infection and spending long moments quizzing his pediatrician on the best baby painkillers and antibiotics. Relief filled Bones at the obvious worry in Jim’s voice—evidence that Jim was beginning to bond with his son, even if he didn’t yet realize it. Bones pulled him over to the chair and situated David in his lap. “I have to go pick up his medicine.”

“You can’t leave me when he’s like this. He wants you.” Jim gestured to the child, who squirmed and reached for Bones. Jim picked him up and gingerly put him on his shoulder, awkwardly bouncing him as he’d seen Bones do, trailing behind Bones into the upper hall. “We’ll go with you. Let me get my shoes.”

“I’ll be right back, Jim.” Bones dashed down the stairs, leaving Jim jiggling David in his arms. He glanced back up at Jim and David, standing at the top of the staircase, as Jim whispered nonsense words to the baby, desperate to soothe the fussy child. “I’m coming right back, Jim. You got this.”

Bones rushed to the pharmacy and returned as quick as he could, racing up the stairs. He administered the medicine and the infant painkiller, sending Jim down for another bottle to soothe the baby with. Jim returned and took the baby.

“Go on, Bones. You haven’t eaten dinner or anything. I think I got this.” Bones shook his head to deny it but his stomach let out a loud rumble. Jim crooked a smile at him. Bones gulped down a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in the darkened kitchen, thinking about what an emotional roller coaster of an evening it had been. 

He glanced at the sofa in his shadowed living room. Had he and Jim really made out like two lust addled teenagers on that sofa? And if David hadn’t fussed and cried just when he did, would he and Jim be enjoying his wide, comfortable bed even now? Hell, the way they’d been going they might not have even made it that far before ripping each other’s clothes off. 

He might as well have handed the damn kid his heart right along with his flask that day on the shuttle—eight years ago now. Jim had been a kid that long ago day, only slightly older than the bright-eyed shiny uniformed cadets surrounding them. At the time, Bones felt ancient surrounded by their bright little faces. Now Jim was nearly two years older than he—Bones—had been that day. Not a kid anymore. 

In the eight years since he’d boarded that shuttle, Bones had earned two additional degrees, become CMO of the Federation flagship, and helped save the world over and over again. He’d brought Jim back from the brink of death. And he’d suffered in the nearly two years his friend was gone, aching with missing him, thinking of the wasted potential for their relationship because Bones never possessed the courage to tell Jim how he felt, to try for more than brotherhood and friendship. When he and Pamela’s marriage imploded so painfully, Bones packed away all his dreams of domestic bliss, a happy family, with children and growing old together. Instead, he followed his own personal Peter Pan into the stars and somehow they’d ended up here, in this odd picture of domestic bliss. 

Bones walked upstairs again to watch Jim, his beloved, precious Jim, miraculously restored to him once again, rock their son. How in the world had it come to this? And if Bones felt disoriented, Jim must feel completely at sea. Jim gazed at David, greedily slurping his bottle, their blue eyes locked on each other. He crooned softly to the child, an old Frank Sinatra standard, _Fly Me to the Moon_ , and smiled gently at him. David put his tiny hand over Jim’s fingers on the bottle, not quite holding hands but resting there, safe and secure in the knowledge that he was loved, cherished, and adored. The nightlight crested over them in a puddle, burnishing their golden hair, making them look like an oil painting by some Renaissance master. 

Somehow, despite all the wrong turns and missteps and near misses, the universe had brought Leonard McCoy to this moment, just to make all his dreams come true at once, in ways he would never have envisioned or imagined. And, just in that moment, Bones admitted to himself the truth he’d denied so hard for so very long. 

Bones McCoy loved Jim Kirk, completely, utterly, soul-shatteringly.

And he had no idea what to do about it.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bonus chapter for the amazing WeWillSpockYou.

The next day, Friday, was also New Year’s Eve. Bones came in from work to a delicious smelling house. He followed his nose to the kitchen to find Jim at the stove, a dishtowel tucked into his waistband as a makeshift apron, stirring a pot of red sauce. David sat in his highchair near the already set table, smashing his favorite starship rattle into the tray and squealing with delighted glee.

“That’s right, Davey-boy. Say Enterprise.” Jim encouraged, taking a sip from his wineglass before pouring the garnet colored wine into the sauce. 

“Is that your famous spaghetti and meatballs, Jimmy?” Bones said and Jim whirled towards him. He smiled when he saw Bones, their eyes meeting for several heartbeats across the kitchen. Bones thought again—as he had all day—of the plush press of Jim’s mouth against his last night, the feel of him in his arms, pressed against him. _What would happen if he just crossed the kitchen—only a few strides—and swept Jim into his arms?_ As if he knew what he was thinking, Jim shot his crooked grin at him and Bones’ knees—and his resolve—weakened dangerously. 

“Indeed it is. David, I made this for your daddy and me at the Academy at least once a week.” Jim turned back to stir and fuss over the steaming pots and Bones crossed to scoop David out of the chair. 

“Dada!” David shrieked with joy to see Bones as he tossed him up in the air and then reflexively pressed his palm to David’s forehead to check for any lingering fever. The antibiotics seemed to have done the trick. Bones cuddled David against him, joy spreading through him when the baby wrapped his chubby arms around his neck in imitation of a hug.

“Do not believe your Papa, David. He occasionally made this for me but mostly it was for his string of conquests.“ Bones laughed and nuzzled David’s neck. 

“Totally not true. Your dad is the only one who gets my cooking.” Bones raised a single eyebrow at Jim but tried to remember if what he said was true. Now that he thought about it, he didn’t remember Jim cooking for anyone else at the Academy and certainly not since he’d had the Enterprise. Maybe he was the only one Jim cooked for. Bones wasn’t sure what that meant, if it meant anything at all. 

“Wash up and have a seat, Bones.” Jim took David from him and settled the child back in the chair, tossing a handful of cheerios on his tray. Bones tried not to revel in the simple domesticity of this happy scene with Jim and David, a cozy kitchen, and a delicious meal. He helped Jim plate the food and they sat at the table. 

“Say Enterprise.” Jim leaned over to whisper to David. David shook his head and extended a gummy cheerio to Jim who solemnly let the baby feed him. David giggled and kicked his legs as Jim smiled at him. Love, happiness, and contentment suffused Bones. Even after the disaster with Pamela, somehow Bones had found his family right here. 

“He’s a bit young to be saying Enterprise, Jim.” Bones said, sipping his wine. Jim shrugged and sat back up. 

“We’ll keep trying.” He patted the baby’s back and dug into his meal. “How was your day?”

They lingered a bit over the meal—as much as any parents with a toddler can do—just chatting about the day. Jim told Bones about their adventure with Mrs. Taylor to feed ducks at the park. 

“He pronounces the word duck with the letter f at the beginning.” Jim’s eyes met Bones as they both laughed. “Mrs. Taylor was mortified. We took David to the grocery store where he yelled about the ducks-spelled-with-an-f some more. I let her go home early from the embarrassment.”

“Thanks for making dinner, Jim. It’s good.” He watched Jim’s mouth as he licked at a dab of red sauce on his lower lip and shifted in his chair. _How were they ever going to make this work if he couldn’t get his libido under control?_

“How was your day? Do you like your job?” Jim asked, casually.

“It’s okay. The people are nice.”

“What kind of surgeries do you do mostly?” Jim took a bite of meatball and chewed thoughtfully, his eyes on Bones. At the Academy, he and Jim would often end up chatting into the night about various medical advances or topics covered in his classes. Jim had even edited his neural grafting thesis. Jim may not possess the interest to be a doctor but he was definitely smart enough to be one. 

“Mostly routine—gallbladder removal, hysterectomies, stuff like that. I took it because it was family friendly, reasonable hours, all that. Not for the medical challenges.”

“You were always so talented at research. You must miss it a bit.” Bones tensed, sensing the argument that Jim was about to make in support of his rejoining Starfleet. This little bubble of domestic bliss just couldn’t last.

“Course I do, Jimmy.”

“Think you want to go back someday?” Jim asked, not meeting Bones’ eyes, fussing with his napkin. 

“From a career perspective, of course. Starfleet wasn’t the same without you though. With you gone, there was nothing really tying me to Starfleet.” Jim’s eyes met his across the table, that crackling desire back, nearly visible, like electricity arching between them.

“I’m back now though. We’re a world constantly on the verge of war. They’ll give me my ship back eventually.” 

“I keep telling you that the Enterprise…”

“Prize!” David shouted, slamming his rattle into the tray with vigor. “Prize! Prize! Prize!”

“See! I knew I could get him to say it.” Both Jim and Bones laughed, their tension diffused. “Now, I’ll make you a deal. If you do the dishes, I’ll put David here to bed.” 

“You used every pan in the house. How is that fair to me?” Bones grumbled with a laugh. He nodded though. Jim hadn’t put the baby down on his own yet and Bones wanted to let him try. 

A scant hour later, Bones had cleaned the kitchen, packed up the leftovers, and changed into comfortable clothes. He lounged on the sofa, idly watching old holo-shows, until Jim came downstairs. Bones drew a deep breath, mentally readying the speech he’d been practicing all day. _They were friends, nothing more… And even if they did decide--rationally, like grown-ups, not hormonal teenagers--to want more, David had to be thought of first._

“He’s asleep. Little bugger fights it sometimes.” Jim said, flopping down next to Bones on the sofa.

“Yeah, wonder where he gets that from.” Bones rolled his eyes and Jim laughed. 

“Happy New Year, Bones.” 

“It’s not midnight yet, Jim. It’s not even 8:30” Bones laughed. 

“It’s midnight somewhere.” Jim’s electric blue eyes locked on his and Bones watched, mesmerized as Jim swiped his tongue over his lower lip. Slowly, Jim leaned over to press a kiss to Bones’ mouth and, despite all his careful, practiced speeches, Bones wrapped his arms around Jim and kissed him back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Go read the amazing WeWillSpockYou's brilliant fairy-tale based take on a baby!fic:
> 
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1251883/chapters/2662270


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **note the rating change***

David was tuckered out from his day at the park, feeding ducks, playing on the slide, and chasing his new favorite playmate. Jim rocked him, singing softly, as the baby slurped his bottle. He hadn’t known David a week and was already head over heels in love with the fascinating little creature. Every day, he picked up some new skill. David was an interesting blend of Carol, Jim, and Bones. Sometimes, he cocked his head to the side, puzzling things out—just the way Carol had. He looked just like Jim, especially around the eyes and mouth, and definitely inherited his daredevil spirit, nearly giving Jim a heart attack as he fearlessly took on the biggest slide on the playground that afternoon. And yet, he also wrinkled his forehead in a pretty good imitation of Bones’ scowl and compassionately wanted all the ducks to get the same amount of food. He watched as David’s blue eyes—a mirror of his own—fluttered shut. David fought for a while but was soon fast asleep. Jim brushed a kiss over his forehead and slipped him into the crib before padding down the hall to the guest room.

He brushed his teeth and tidied his hair. Time for the next phase of his seduction of Bones. If he knew Bones—and after eight years together, Jim knew Bones pretty well— Bones would have spent the day mentally rehearsing very practical speeches about why they shouldn’t rush into a sexual relationship, how they had a child to care for, how it could impact their friendship…

“Screw that.” Jim said to his reflection in the mirror, with a cocky grin. He’d waited eight years for this opportunity. He thought of the scruffy man he’d met on the shuttle—gorgeous even drunk with a three day old beard— of all the near misses and almost kisses over the years, all the chances and opportunities that Jim should have taken but didn’t. And then, last night, finally…Jim’s knees actually went weak from just the memory of Bones kissing him back. No way was Jim not going to follow up on that, consequences be damned. 

He placed a jumbo sized bottle of lube and a large box of condoms on the guest room nightstand—he had big plans for this New Year’s Eve— and returned downstairs. Bones relaxed on the sofa, in the dimly lit family room, as the holo-screen flickered across his face. He’d changed out of his suit and into comfortable sweats and a soft-looking, worn t-shirt, looking much the same as he used to at the Academy or when they’d hang out together on the Enterprise. Jim wanted to cross the room and crawl right into his lap. But no, Bones would be on guard for that. Better to ease into things. 

“He’s asleep. Little bugger fights it sometimes.” Jim said, flopping down next to Bones on the sofa and propping his feet on the coffee table. He pressed his thigh against Bones’ warm thigh. Bones did not move away and Jim’s heartbeat kicked up a notch. 

“Yeah, wonder where he gets that from.” Bones rolled his eyes and Jim laughed. 

“Happy New Year, Bones.” 

“It’s not midnight yet, Jim. It’s not even 8:30.” 

“It’s midnight somewhere.” Bones glanced at him and, as Jim swiped his tongue over his lower lip, his gaze dropped to Jim’s lips as if magnetized. Jim watched Bones mimic his action. Slowly, so as not to spook him, Jim leaned over to press a gentle kiss to Bones’ mouth, just to start the evening off. As always, Bones managed to surprise him because he wrapped his arms around Jim and kissed him back. In seconds, Jim crawled into his lap, straddling him, moaning as they pressed together, both already hard, ready, willing.

Jim bit Bones plush lower lip—the pouty lower lip he’d fantasized about for years—and trailed kisses down Bones’ neck, loving the soft gasps and cries his action wrung from Bones. He pulled aside the soft, worn Starfleet Academy t-shirt that Bones wore to suck on the point where his neck and shoulder met. Bones whimpered, grabbing Jim’s hips and grinding them together, his strong, legendary hands cupping Jim’s ass. Need and desire, bright and hot, flooded through him. 

“Jim….we can’t do this.” Bones’ arched into Jim, his body betraying his words. There was his sensible, practical, pragmatic Bones. Jim nipped at his collarbone, provoking a full body shudder from the other man. Bones pushed him away and sat up, turning away from Jim, his breath sawing in and out of his chest. “There are a million reasons this would be such a bad idea.”

“Name one.” Jim mouthed at the back of Bones’ neck, pressing his chest against Bones’ back and sliding his talented hands around Bones’ waist. 

“David.”

“Actually, David is an excellent reason for us to finally do this.” Jim slid his hands under Bones’ t-shirt, sliding his palms over Bones’ taut nipples and up to clutch at his strong shoulders. Bones had great shoulders. 

“Jim…” Bones shook his head, capturing his hands against his chest through the t-shirt. “We have to talk about this.”

“You’re absolutely right, Bones. We should talk about this.” Jim agreed and pulled away, kneeling next to Bones on the sofa. Bones turned to face him, surprise evident on his face. Jim instantly pressed his advantage. He kissed him again, pouring everything he felt into the kiss, nipping at Bones’ lower lip, teasing along the seam of his lips with his tongue. He cupped the back of Bones’ head, tugging gently on his hair. Bones groaned, low and deep in his chest, fighting the desire Jim knew he felt. When Bones finally kissed him back, Jim raised his head and winked at him.“We’ll talk later.”

Bones didn’t answer, just yanked Jim’s head down to him, wresting control of their kiss away from Jim. In moments, they lay entwined together on the sofa, pressed together on the narrow seat. Jim rocked his hips against Bones, aligning their rigid lengths together, both of them half out of their minds with pleasure and need. He raised his head to ask Bones to go upstairs with him and got his first look at a sex-mussed Bones. Bones’ lips were swollen from Jim’s kisses, his dark hair spiky from Jim’s hands, his eyes golden and hot with desire. 

They were totally not going to make it upstairs, not this first time. Jim knew it would be like this— incendiary and scorching, like a star being born— if they ever pushed past the carefully erected barriers of their long friendship. An ancient wall in his heart crumbled as the dividing line between friend, buddy, brother dissolved under the white hot desire he’d never allowed himself to fully feel before this moment. 

Jim pushed his loose pants off his hips and yanked down the front of Bones’ pants. He gripped their cocks together in his hand, aligning them together. Bones arched up, grabbing at Jim’s hips in a bruising grip. He threw his head back as they rocked together, once, twice before Jim spurted all over his hands, Bones joining him seconds later. 

“I haven’t gone off like that in years.” Jim panted into Bones’ neck, trying to ease them past the awkward moment. Any second now, Bones was going to realize what they’d done and panic. Jim sat back and braced himself for the awkwardness. He stripped off his t-shirt and swiped at the mess they’d made together. Bones lay with one arm thrown over his head, his breathing still irregular, his t-shirt bunched up under his arms, exposing his tan, flat belly. Jim glanced away, his heart slamming against his chest. They’d actually crossed the line from friendship to…whatever this was. Finally, slowly, Bones pulled his arm down and pushed Jim away so he could sit up.

“Always leap before looking, huh?” Bones rasped, running his hands through his hair, shaking his head. 

“Bones, we should totally be responsible adults and talk about what we’re doing here.” Jim wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “But I’ve waited for years to do this with you and I’d really like to just enjoy it for a bit, okay?”

Bones glanced over at him, his eyes glittering in the half light. Jim brushed a light kiss over his lips and stood up, extending his hand. “Bones, come upstairs with me.”

Bones raised his eyes to Jim’s face. Jim watched as Bones considered all the arguments against being reckless and rash and irresponsible. He couldn’t push any more. Bones had to make this decision on his own. Bones slowly placed his hand in Jim’s and allowed Jim to pull him to his feet. Hand in hand, he followed him upstairs. 

Jim walked down to the guest room, smiling as Bones detoured into the nursery to peek at David. Jim dropped his pants and climbed onto the bed, leaning back on his arms as Bones walked into the room. He crossed his arms and leaned against the doorjamb. Jim stroked himself once and then twice before reaching for the bottle of lube on the bedside table.

“Always so confident, aren’t you, Jimmy?” Bones rasped, crossing the room to stand at the side of the bed, between Jim’s legs. Bones sighed deeply, like he still wanted to argue with Jim, but then he stripped off his t-shirt and tossed it aside. The silvery moonlight dappled across his chest and shoulders, shining in his dark hair. Jim thought of stepping onto the shuttle in Riverside, as if all the moments between then and now were leading them to collide in this moment. Jim had never wanted anyone as badly as he wanted Bones.

“Mine.” Bones said before he knocked Jim’s hands away and took over stroking him. Jim’s breath hitched and then he slammed his head back into the mattress. Jim rocked his hips up as Bones stroked him, learning what he liked, what drew a response. He dropped to his knees beside the bed and licked a stripe up Jim’s cock before sucking just the head into his mouth. Jim whimpered, his knees falling open, fighting the urge to thrust up into Bones’ mouth. Bones gripped his hips, holding him still as he teased and tormented Jim. Bones pressed his fingers against Jim’s the base of Jim’s cock and then slipped lower, gently prepping him, until Jim sobbed his name. 

“Tell me what you want, Jimmy.” Bones rasped. 

“You. Please, Bones.” Jim canted his hips up, nearly begging. Bones stood and dropped his pants, covering himself with a condom and slicking himself with lube. 

He leaned over Jim, bracing himself on his forearms as Jim wrapped his legs around his waist. He pressed the thick head of his cock against Jim and met Jim’s eyes. He cupped his cheek and Jim pulled his head down for a kiss as Bones slowly breeched him. Jim arched up against him, wrapping his arms around Bones, pulling him deeper.

“Come on, Bones, baby, move.” Jim wriggled underneath him as Bones drew out and slammed deep again. In just a few thrusts, they found their own rhythm, adjusting to each other. Bones linked his fingers with Jim and brought their joined hands to Jim’s cock. Bones’ cock brushed his prostate again and again and Jim groaned as he started to unravel, feeling himself starting to tip over the edge. Bones kissed him then, deep and passionate and Jim came in hot, wet spurts that coated them both, chanting Bones’ name. Bones shuddered as he followed him. 

A long time later, Jim came back to himself, realizing that he was running his hands through Bones’ hair. They’d done it. They were lovers. Bones leaned up and pulled out of Jim. He padded to the en suite and dampened washcloths for them both. Without a word, they slipped under the quilt. The silence should have felt awkward but instead felt normal between them, peaceful and right. Jim rested his head to Bones’ shoulder as Bones wrapped an arm around his waist and pressed a kiss to his temple. In moments, they were both asleep.

At about 3 am, Jim woke to a moonlight filled room. He sat up, not sure if he’d heard David cry. He glanced at Bones, sleeping peacefully next to him. He crept from the bed to check on the baby but David slept on his back, with his hands up over his head. Jim returned to the guest room to find Bones, sprawled on the bed on his stomach, his muscled back and shoulders bare as he pressed his head into the pillows.

Jim slipped into bed, snuggling up behind Bones, tracing the constellations of freckles on Bones’ shoulders with his tongue. Bones, still asleep, pressed back into him, the curve of his bottom pressing against Jim’s already rigid cock. After reaching for the lube, Jim dipped his fingers into the crease. Bones awoke with a jolt and then moaned, as Jim pressed the pads of his fingers against his opening. Jim slipped a finger inside and Bones arched back into his hand with a moan. He slid his other arm underneath Bones, pulling him back against him as he nipped at his neck. He gripped Bones cock, stroking up and down, before adding a second finger. 

“It’s been a while, Jimmy.” Bones breathed through the stretch, dropping his head back to Jim’s shoulder, exposing the long, tantalizing line of his neck. 

“Bones, we’re such idiots. We could have been doing this all along.” 

“Didn’t know you wanted to do this with me.’” Bones slipped a hand back, caressing Jim’s hip, pulling him closer.

“For years, Bones.” Jim whispered, adding another finger causing Bones to gasp and rock his hips back, eager and ready. “Do you have any idea all the things I’ve wanted to do to you over the years, Bones? All the different ways I’ve fantasized about us being together.”

“Show me, darlin.” Jim shuddered at the new endearment, pulling his fingers out to replace them with the head of his cock. He pushed into Bones, groaning as he pressed into his hot, wet heat. Bones slammed his hips back so Jim was seated in him entirely, shifting his leg up to allow for greater depth. They found a rhythm quickly and easily, lacing their fingers together. 

He’d never imagined that Bones throaty cries and moans would affect him so much, the way the noises would arrow straight to his cock and drive him over the edge into bliss. He pumped Bones cock with his fist, not wanting to leave his lover unsatisfied, but Jim knew he wouldn’t last long with the tight heat of Bones around him. He rubbed his thumb over the velvety head of Bone’s cock and felt Bones’ hips stutter against him. He did it again, just as his vision whited out at the edges, just as he unraveled and fell apart, and pulled Bones over the edge into bliss with him. 

Jim retrieved washcloths and tidied them up. Bones blinked at him sleepily. “We never did have that talk, Jimmy.”

“Go to sleep, Bones. We’ll talk later.” 

“Don’t think I won’t hold you to it, darlin.’” Jim shuddered again at the nickname and the soft, sleepy, Southern way Bones drawled it as he crawled into the bed and settled the covers over them.

He knew they needed to talk, to iron out details, that there were many things left unsaid between them. Jim just wanted a brief respite from all the real-life decisions pressing in on them. After all, he’d waited a very long time to claim Bones and he wanted to enjoy it. Was that so very wrong? And to his very great surprise, his friend rolled into his arms and snuggled against his chest before he fell deeply asleep. After brushing a kiss over Bones’ temple, Jim followed him.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after….(from Bones' POV).

The morning after….

On New Year’s Day, Bones woke late, sprawled naked on his stomach, tucked under the warm quilt, alone in his guest room bed. The bright sunlight glowing on the heart pine flooring told him that it was much later than he normally slept. He rolled over to look for Jim and blushed to feel unfamiliar aches all over. After all this time—when Bones had long since given up hope— he and Jim had finally leapt from being just friends to lovers. 

Despite the trepidation he felt at taking such a momentous step, especially with everything so unsettled, despite all the reasons it was a bad idea, Bones smiled to himself. They’d been just as amazing, hot, and intense together as he’d always imagined—more than, really. He’d had years to refine his fantasies of being with Jim. And the reality was even better. 

He climbed out of his nest of blankets and headed down the hall to his bathroom. He glanced in the nursery but Jim must have taken the baby downstairs. When he got through his morning routine, he caught sight of himself in the mirror, grinning goofily. His dark hair stood up in tufts all over his head and his eyes glowed. He looked satisfied, sated, and happy. The very thought made his stomach churn. He and happiness were never a good mix.

Before his thoughts could get too dark, he tossed on some clothes and headed downstairs to find Jim and David. He strode through the too quiet house. He checked his chrono—it was past 8:30 and David, having inherited no need to sleep from his father, rarely slept past 7. His heart rate was just starting to pick up when he spotted the mini-memo cube on the kitchen counter.

“Hey, Bones!” Jim waved cheerfully from the message trapped in the cube. “Davey and I are going for a little walk so you can sleep. He’s a lark, like me!” Here, he picked the baby up and pressed their cheeks together, making the baby giggle. As Jim turned, probably to place David in the stroller, Bones caught sight of a purplish hickey on his neck. He felt the goofy grin split his face again. He thrilled to the knowledge that he’d put that mark on Jim, primal and ridiculous though it was. Then he blushed furiously while highlights from the night before played through his head. Bones hadn’t had it this bad since…well, since ever. There was no one like Jim. Just then, the back door slid open. Jim struggled to pull the bulky stroller into the house but he managed it. 

“The baby is a chick magnet!” Bones’ stomach dropped. So maybe last night hadn’t meant as much to Jim. Maybe Bones was just another notch in his scarred bedpost. Maybe it had all been an awful mistake. 

“Glad you’re using your son to help you pick up women.” Bones said, trying to keep the bitterness in his voice to a minimum. After all, if they’d had some sort of misunderstanding, then it was his fault really. They hadn’t talked about things before hand. It wasn’t not like Jim had ever made him any promises or told him how he felt. Suddenly, Bones was fiercely glad he hadn’t told Jim how much he loved him.

“Our son.” Jim corrected swiftly. Jim was implacable on this point. David may be biologically his but he insisted that he was their child. Bones nodded his head, touched deeply. “Here, I brought you a coffee.” 

Jim handed the paper cup over to Bones, his fingers brushing the back of Bones’ hand, causing sparks of awareness to shoot up Bones’ arm. He took it and sank into one of the chairs at the counter, blushing deeper as his body reminded him of his unusual activities of the past evening.

“And what are you drinking, David-kins?” 

“I got him an espresso.” Jim laughed at the expression on Bones’ face. David wailed as Bones snatched the drink out of his hand to sniff it suspiciously and then tasted it. “Not really! I’m not a total idiot. I got him a baby-cinno. It’s just warmed milk, Bones.” 

Satisfied it was, in fact, just warm milk, he handed the drink back to the baby who promptly tried to eat the paper cup. Bones let Jim handle that as he sipped his own drink. 

“Ugh! This isn’t coffee!” 

“It’s a peppermint mocha. Thought you might like something different.” 

Jim leaned up from where he’d been kneeling in front of the stroller, wresting the cup away from David. He dropped a quick kiss on Bones’ lips. Their eyes locked and Bones thought that he’d never forget this moment, tasting of mint and chocolate—their first morning as lovers, if indeed that was what they were now.

Bones scrubbed a hand through the back of his hair and swallowed. “Uh, Jimmy…”

“Are you going to say about last night? It was amazing. Wait until David goes down for his nap and we can do it again. I have amazing plans for all the things I want to do with you.” Jim leaned in and nipped at Bones’ full lower lip. Jim deepened their kiss, just their mouths touching. Reluctantly, Bones pushed him away.

“We have to talk.” Bones said, sternly. Jim sighed and nodded. After settling David with his toys in the den, they made a huge breakfast of whole wheat pancakes studded with blueberries, a favorite from their Academy days.

“Guess we worked up an appetite.” Jim winked at him. 

Finally, after they sat at the table with David in his highchair, Jim said, “How long…” just as Bones said, “So, how do you see…”

They glanced at each other and then both laughed, breaking the tension.

“The answer for me is since you threw up on my shoes on the shuttle. I thought you were straight for ages. I’ll never forget how shocked I was when I first saw you date that guy at the Academy.”

“So, why didn’t you ever say anything?”

“Same reason as you, I expect. Afraid to mess things up. I nearly told you after…you know, everything with Khan but I could never get the words out and…I was afraid you’d feel obligated or something because I was so sick.” Jim shrugged. 

“So, we’ve established that we’re idiots.” Bones smiled wryly at Jim. 

“I’m still bitter that we could have been enjoying nights like last night for years and years.”

“But, Jim, you don’t really do relationships or…”

“I had my fun at the Academy but, since the Enterprise, I really haven’t slept around that much.”

Bones considered and found what Jim said to be true. “I thought that was because you were too busy and, with the rank thing, it would have been awkward.”

“That was part of it. But then I realized that I really just wanted one person.” Jim locked his blue eyes on Bones’ face. Bones glanced away at the intensity in Jim’s eyes. 

“That’s what you meant. About being with Carol.” 

Jim nodded and stood to help clear the table. “I saw you that afternoon, flirting with a new nurse.”

“I don’t flirt with members of my staff.” Bones said, as he started the dishes. He considered the easy way he and Jim fell into old routines. He thought that might be a good sign for their future together. 

“You were having lunch and, well, it looked cozy. I was jealous.” Jim rested his head on Bones’ shoulder and then pressed a kiss to his neck. “And now, well, I guess…” here he glanced over at David busily pushing cheerios off his tray onto the floor. “We’re a family, Bones. I mean, you already were my family before but now…”

Joy arrowed through Bones, making his heart do giddy flip-flops in his chest. Now he knew how lottery winners felt, having all their dreams come true at once. He pressed a kiss to Jim’s lips, cradling his face in his soapy hands and sighed with happiness when Jim wrapped his arms around him and kissed him back. 

“I can’t wait for him to go down for his nap.” Bones whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I split the morning after chapter into two separate chapters. This week, we get Bones' perspective. Next week, Jim's turn. And then, we're boarding the train for angst-ville.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim's view of the morning after...

Unfortunately for his two fathers, David had no interest in napping. Instead, he stayed resolutely awake, becoming increasingly fussy as the day wore on. Jim insisted that Bones check David with the tri-c again but thankfully, it was nothing serious.

“What is it? Is it a fever? Another ear infection?” Jim hovered over Bones, trying to read the unintelligible tri-c display before picking David up and settling him on his lap. 

“No fever. He’s teething. He had a terrible time cutting the four teeth he’s got.” Bones handed David a cold washcloth to gnaw on and smiled ruefully at Jim before sitting next to them on the sofa. “I used to take him for long walks in the stroller and he’d sometimes sleep.” 

David crawled into his lap and cuddled Bones, who pressed a kiss to his forehead. “I know, honey. Cutting teeth hurts, doesn’t it? Daddy’ll give you some medicine to help.” 

“Okay then, I’ll just have to wait until tonight for all I have planned.” Relieved, Jim winked at him to cover his disappointment as Bones carried David upstairs to give him baby painkillers.

They put David in the stroller and walked together to the nearby city center. After they got coffees—and Jim teased Bones relentlessly about ordering a second peppermint mocha—they wandered around the trendy boutiques. David seemed happiest when he was in motion—yet another thing he’d inherited directly from Jim— so they mostly enjoyed the sunny, breezy day, strolling hand in hand.

After peeking in the stroller to check on a dozing David, Jim leaned over and brushed a kiss on Bones’ mouth. “You taste like chocolate and peppermint.”

Bones said something in response that Jim didn’t catch because he noticed a petite brunette, in a belted navy trench coat, standing to the side, staring at them. He’d forgotten what it was like to be planet side and in public along with the measure of fame his face provided him. He plastered on his public relations smile and stepped forward to introduce himself. But Bones spoke from behind him first. 

“Jim, this is Pamela…uh…I don’t know your last name.”

“McCoy. I kept McCoy.”

Jim froze, his hand comically extended. Bones’ ex-wife. When she ignored his offered handshake, he let his hand drop limply to his side. He glanced back at Bones, his eyes wide, and observed the tense set of Bones’ shoulders and the white lines around his thin mouth.

“Fine. Pamela McCoy. Jim Kirk.” Bones said, gesturing between them. Jim smiled again—it might have been more a baring of teeth--and extended his hand. She shook briefly but glanced immediately back at Bones. 

“Didn’t know you were back in Atlanta, Leo.” For a split second, Jim had no idea who she was talking to. 

“I’m at Peachtree General.” 

“Not star bound any more then?” She cocked her head to the side, her long, luscious brown hair waving in the breeze, reddish highlights glinting in the sun. She wasn’t precisely pretty—maybe more like striking with severe eyebrows, a thin mouth, and dark eyes. She was definitely nothing like what Jim had imagined. He’d imagined a female version of himself.

“Too busy. Raising our son.” Bones answered, gesturing to the stroller. Pamela glanced down and her jaw sagged, making her look like a surprised greyhound. 

“Our?” She glanced between Jim and Bones, shock clear in her wide eyes and still gaping mouth.

“David is Jim and my son.” Bones answered firmly and Jim smiled at the possessive way he said it. 

“Wow. Guess the news reports left a few details out. David? Did you name him for your father?”

Bones shrugged and didn’t answer. David stirred a bit in his stroller. Bones immediately bent down to tuck a fuzzy blue blanket back around David more securely as Pamela looked back at Jim, still evidently shocked. “We must be going. Don’t want to wake him. He’s teething.” Jim said. “Lovely to meet you.”

They walked away, in silence. Jim reached out and twined his fingers with Bones, who pressed their palms together. As they passed the merrily splashing fountain, Jim turned to Bones. “You ok?”

“Just fine, Jim.” Bones answered with a sunny smile.

* * * 

That night, they sat, relaxing together, sipping bourbon by the outdoor fire pit on Leonard’s roomy stone patio, the holo-view baby monitor nearby. Though the night was a bit chilly, the sky was clear enough to show the stars and the fire pit kept them comfortably warm.

“Is David actually named for your daddy?” Jim asked, studying the colors of the flames dancing in the fire pit. 

“Carol and I talked about baby names when she was in labor. She asked me what I’d name a son and I said David, which was my father’s name. Later on, she put it on the birth certificate but never told me why she chose it.” 

“What’s David’s middle name?”

“James.” 

“David James Kirk.” 

“No.” Bones shook his head. “David James Marcus.”

“Oh.” Jim’s brow furrowed as he glanced back at the fire pit. Why did David not having his last name bother him? He’d often wished for a different one, with less heroic associations. Still, he wanted his son to be named Kirk but he had no idea why.

‘Before you came back, I’d started the adoption process so I’d have legal rights to him. We should talk to the lawyer about establishing your rights.”

“And yours too, Bones.” Jim said firmly. Bones absolutely had to have legal rights to David. Jim knew that Starfleet would not let him stay earthbound for long. Bones should be David’s other legal guardian, just in case. Now, with a flash of insight, he understood why so many spouses didn’t serve on ships together. It was so one parent had a better chance of surviving, of not leaving their children orphans. 

“We can change his last name to Kirk.”

“Maybe he should be McCoy-Kirk.”

“Big mouthful for a little guy.”

“He deserves to have your name too.”

“He does. He has my Daddy’s name. That’s enough for me. And maybe you should make it Marcus-Kirk to honor his mom. Besides, he’s already got the heritage of two rather famous granddaddies.”

“And several great-granddaddies too. My mom’s dad and my dad’s dad served in Starfleet too, as well as my dad’s grandfather. I think Carol’s grandparents served too.” Jim smiled. “David’ll probably want to stay planet side all his life.”

“I don’t think so. I bought him a bunch of farm toys. He ignores them. He won’t play with his medical kit. But, you see how he clings to that little Enterprise rattle. And he loves his stuffed rocket ship. My grammie always used to say that blood tells. I think it does in his case.”

“You gave him a starship themed nursery.”

“I worried a lot about making sure he would know his parents. I picked the starship theme because it was the thing that tied you and Carol and me together. Space.” 

“Maybe. But I think you and I were tied together from that first moment on the shuttle. Maybe even before that, if you believe in that sort of thing.” Jim crawled into his lap, kissing him deeply. He leaned back to admire the way the firelight played over Bones’ handsome face, gilding his hair. In that moment, Jim felt they could have been lovers two millennia before or in some distant future. There was a timeless, eternal quality to them. They were twin souls, forever and totally entwined. Jim didn’t really believe in fate but it seemed that the universe always conspired to keep him and Bones together. Somehow, always came down to Jim and his Bones. 

Bones pulled Jim down for a heated kiss. They stayed out on the patio, snuggled together next to the fire, until dawn’s pearly fingers lightened the eastern sky, pausing only in their leisurely loving to check the nearby holo baby monitor, sealing their eternal bond as their baby son slept on peacefully.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The angst has finally arrived…Jim and Bones have a rather big fight about their future.

On Sunday morning, David’s cooing over the baby monitor woke Jim and Bones. Jim headed down to the nursery and changed David while Bones started breakfast. They had just finished and were chatting about plans for the day, a drizzly sort of overcast winter day best spent indoors, when a sharp knock at the front door startled them all. Bones held David on his hip as they trailed into the front hall to find a contingent of Starfleet dress grays and suited men at the front door. 

“Are you all lost?” Jim asked as they filed past him into the kitchen, Jim and Bones on their heels. Bones watched as they arrayed themselves around his kitchen counter, the detritus of their breakfast still on the kitchen table. Whatever they were here for, it could not be good news, especially for his fragile family situation. He and Jim still had so many details to iron out but their status as lovers was all so new. Bones sighed as he looked at the hard faces of the Starfleet brass and their hired PR guns. Guess the honeymoon was over.

“Not the time for humor, Kirk. We need to get this situation contained and under control.” The highest ranked one barked. Bones recognized him as one of the PR people that usually dealt with the Enterprise crew’s latest misadventure but he’d forgotten his name, if he’d every paid attention long enough to learn it.

“What situation is that?” Jim demanded. 

Bones headed for the door, David still on his hip. “I’m not in Starfleet anymore so if you could excuse me.” 

“I believe you’ll find this does affect you, Commander McCoy.” Bones turned in the doorframe, drawing breath to give this PR pup a tongue lashing he wouldn’t soon forget. 

“Doctor McCoy.” Jim corrected and then followed up with, “Wait, commander?”

“Yeah, they promoted all of us for losing our captain in a black hole and having the sense to keep our mouths shut about it to the press.” Bones glanced at Jim.

“You didn’t tell me that.” Jim looked at Bones, his eyebrows raised. Bones shrugged. He’d forgotten about it. He’d never cared about rank. 

“Nevertheless, Commander. There is considerable interest in Captain Kirk’s new baby and…”

“Our baby. And David is a private citizen. A minor!” Bones snapped. 

“He’s the son of Starfleet’s lost hero, just miraculously returned to us. Raised by another hero of the Battle of Vulcan and the Harrison incident. Not to mention that he’s the grandson of two of our most famous members, both martyrs to the cause, as well as the great-grandson of two Admirals. You can see how the copy just writes itself. And now, with the famous Captain and CMO of the Enterprise a couple…”

“Wait a second. How do they know that?” Jim demanded as Bones gaped at them.

The PR officer looked sympathetic but handed Jim a PADD. Bones glanced down and then stared as Jim flipped through the holos. There were several grainy holos of them at the market place yesterday, holding hands, Jim leaning in for a kiss, even a shot of them talking to Pamela, her back to the camera. Then, worst of all, a series of photos of them kissing, backlit by the fire pit, on Bones’ back porch.

“These are on private property!” Bones roared, making half the room jump and David cry. Jim tossed the PADD on the counter and swung him out of Bones’ arms, shushing him, rocking him, placing him on his hip as though it was the most natural thing in the world. Bones protests died on his lips as he watched Jim settle into fatherhood.

Unbidden, the memory of the first time Jim took command of the Enterprise came to mind. As Jim had insisted, Bones stood on the bridge, waiting for the Captain. Jim—brash, confident, bold— strode through the door, Chekov shouting “Keptin on the bridge!” Seeing Jim standing there, all golden in his command shirt and perfect hair, was a moment Bones would never forget, a snapshot of the heart. Jim glanced around the bridge before looking at Bones. Their eyes met and Jim greeted him first, because, even then, Bones knew that he was first among equals. He’d nearly burst with pride watching the boy king take his rightful place in the Captain’s chair. Watching Jim cuddle and comfort David felt much the same now, the incredible rightness of it, like a holograph swimming into focus. 

“Jimmy, you’re awful quiet.” Bones finally said.

“I should have thought of this. I should have realized that the press would never permit me a private life. It would happen to us in Iowa sometimes too, especially around my birthday. When I turned 10, there were at least four reporters sniffing around to interview me.”

“Captain Kirk, Starfleet can take care of that. We can handle the press for you.” 

Bones snapped, “You’ll have to forgive us if we don’t jump on that deal, Faust.”

“Bones.” Jim held up a hand, still rocking David from side to side. “Let’s say that my family and I cooperate.”

“Cooperate!” Bones echoed and Jim ignored him. 

“What will Starfleet give us?”

And just like that, Bones’ dreams of a happy family life with Jim shattered. His tactical genius friend would use this moment to get himself a ship and would be back among the stars as quickly as possible. And he and David would be left behind— again. Bones spared Jim one disgusted look and reached for David. “Come on, Davey-kins. Papa doesn’t need us here for this.”

* * *

Over an hour later, Jim walked upstairs to find Bones idly rocking a sleeping David. 

“When do you leave for San Francisco, Jim?” Bones asked, in a low voice, all the more menacing for his quiet. He’d been such a fool yesterday. Jim said he’d wanted them to be a family and Bones, in his joy and relief, hadn’t thought to ask for details, to check if their vision for family life was compatible. Obviously not. 

“I figured I’d head out this afternoon. Starfleet is in a very giving mood at the moment, what with me coming back so near the thirtieth anniversary of the Kelvin.” 

“What’d they offer you so far? The Endeavor?” Jim jolted in surprise at Bones’ accurate guess. “It’s not hard to figure out. I was a member of Starfleet too. I know they way they think. They’d want your pretty face to helm the newest warbirds.”

“They aren’t warbirds. We’re a peacekeeping armada.” Jim slipped his hands into his back pockets, rocking back on his heels. 

“That’s why they’re all laden down with Scotty’s newest terrors. To keep the peace, right?” Bones’ glanced away from Jim, worrying his bottom lip with his teeth.

“We’re a world always on the brink of war with the Klingons and the Romulans. Bones, you must have known I’d have to go back eventually. I have a job, a duty to Starfleet too.”

“Yes, Jim. Be sure to go do your duty. That’s far more important than your son. Or me. We’ll just wait here for you to do a quick check-in every few years, see how much David has grown and fuck me while you’re in town, if I’m lucky. I know you don’t usually do repeats. Guess I already got lucky with the two nights, huh?”

Jim’s eyes widened and he sucked in a sharp breath. Bones had to look away from the hurt he saw in Jim’s eyes. Jim wasn’t the only one hurting here. “Bones, what do you want me to say? That I’ll live here? In the burbs?”

“So, yesterday, when you said you wanted to be a family…”

“We are a family. But this life—here in quiet suburbia—this isn’t for me or you. This isn’t us. And you can pretend all you like, Doctor McCoy. But you don’t love hysterectomies and gallbladder removal. You’re one of the most brilliant doctors Starfleet has, probably in the universe, and you’re hiding out here, among the boxes that you never unpacked.”

“Someone had to raise your son, Jim. You weren’t around to do it!” Bones hissed. 

“I’m not talking about David. I’m talking about you just up and quitting Starfleet—walking away from your potential.”

Bones glanced out the window at the still bare trees. He pressed his knuckles to his thin mouth and then said, “I always knew you’d break my fucking heart.” 

“Bones…” They’d been so happy together, just yesterday. Bones pushed those memories away. Maybe someday, when he was old and gray, he could remember them fondly and not feel like they were driving glass shards into his heart. 

“If you go, just give me David. I’ll raise him as my own. You can have your ship, sail the stars, but give me my son.”

“Our son. David is our son.” Jim corrected. “You think the holo-press is going to just drop this? They’ll never leave us in peace. People like you and me don’t get to be private citizens and that means our son won’t either. I’m doing this to protect you and our son.”

“Don’t dress it up in pretty words. Don’t lie to yourself or to me. Just go, Jim.” Bones shut his eyes and looked away. Jim crossed the room and bent to brush his lips over Bones cheek but he shoved him angrily away. Jim bent and kissed David’s forehead as he slept peacefully on. 

“I am coming back, Bones. And we will figure this out. Just let me talk to Starfleet first.” Jim said, before he walked out. 

Bones heard him pause in the doorframe but didn’t look up from carefully placing David into the crib. Jim strode back into the room and grabbed Bones by the shoulder, spinning him to face him. They looked in each other’s eyes for a few seconds before Jim cupped the back of Bones’ head, pulling him to him and slamming his mouth into his. Unlike all their previous kisses, this one held pure, raw fury.

Well, Bones could match that. He cupped Jim’s face and took control, sweeping his tongue into Jim’s mouth, just the way he knew Jim liked. When Jim moaned, Bones wrapped his arm around his waist and pulled him flush against him. Let Jim see what he’d be missing while he sailed the stars. After several long moments, Bones finally broke the kiss and shoved Jim away. 

“Just go. Goodbye, Jim.” He said, crossing his arms over his chest and hunching his shoulders before turning away. 

This time, Jim did.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the aftermath of their big fight, Jim and Bones get a bit of advice from their friends...

_San Francisco, the day before the thirtieth anniversary of the Kelvin attack…_

Starfleet put Jim up in their best quarters, trying to woo him again. The apartment boasted soaring views of the bay and all the amenities he could want. He’d once shared this very same apartment with Bones, after the Khan incident. He pushed memories of Bones away. He told himself not to think of David’s laughter, his bright face and sweet baby cuddles as he stared out at the dawn, beginning to burn the mist off the bay. 

Just as Bones predicted, they offered Jim the Endeavor—the newest, best class of Starship—to take out as soon as she was ready, for as long as he wanted. As long as he agreed to let them use his face in their promotional and recruiting materials, Starfleet would give him anything he wanted. 

Except, it seemed, the chance to live a normal family life.

He’d be a captain again, sailing the stars. He missed the black. It called to his blood, the same way it always had to his mother. 

He just hadn’t expected to miss David—and Bones—so much more. He’d left Atlanta less than a day before and every second he wondered what his family was doing. How would he manage years away from them?

The apartment, spacious and inviting, suddenly felt like a prison cell. He grabbed his jacket and his comm and headed out to the door to visit the only friend that would stay up working on his beloved starships all night.

“Scotty, man, what’s going on?” Jim burst into his former Chief Engineer’s office, faking jovial good cheer. “Let’s go grab breakfast! You too, Keenser.”

Scotty turned to face him, looking drawn and tired. No doubt he’d been up all night working on a thorny engineering problem. “Jim!” He greeted him warmly. “How are David and Leonard?”

“They were fine when I left them yesterday afternoon.” Jim slapped Scotty on the back. “Take me on a tour of the facility. I want to see all the new ships. When will the next ship be ready to sail?”

“Ready to sail? You’re not going back out there?” Scotty blinked at him owlishly.

“They offered me the Endeavor. I heard you’ve…”

“What about David? And Leonard?” 

“They don’t need me.” Jim glanced away from the piercing look the Scotsman gave him. Damn, in his haste to get out of the apartment, he’d forgotten how perceptive Scotty could be.

“Respectfully, Jim, I think they do.” Scotty grabbed a holo-frame from his desk and turned it to face Jim. In the photo, a younger David sat perched smiling in the Captain’s Chair on the Enterprise, Bones hovering behind the chair, ready to support him if he slid. 

“I hadn’t seen that one.” Jim said, his voice hoarse as he stroked the photo, dropping into Scotty’s visitor chair. Bones, always the power behind the throne, ready to catch Jim—or his son—if he fell. “Scotty, I have to go. The press will hound me…”

“Aye, you’re a celebrity for sure. Those were some lovely pictures of you all in the holo-news.”

“Exactly. If I go, maybe Bones and David can have a normal life.” Jim placed the holograph carefully back on Scotty’s desk and glanced away.

“They’d rather have you than a normal life.”

Jim played with his fingers, staring down at his feet so he didn’t have to look the perceptive Scotsman in the eyes. Finally, he said in a low voice. “Bones is pretty mad at me.”

“Aye, I’d expect Leonard would be. You do have a bit of a tendency to decide you know best and not talk about it. Some torpedoes come to mind.”

“Jeez, hit a guy when he’s down.”

“I don’t believe I saw a day go past on the Enterprise that you two weren’t together—arguing something fierce at times, but usually laughing and talking.”

Jim nodded. From that moment on the shuttle, he and Bones had always been inseparable. The thought of deliberately leaving him behind was agony.

“You know, when I first saw you two together on the Enterprise, I assumed you’d been together for years. Romantically, I mean.”

“Really?” Jim glanced up, surprised. He’d thought he’d kept his feelings pretty well concealed. 

“It was the looks, between you. You have this way of communicating with each other without words. Not sexual but intimate. You and Leonard just fit together in a way that is rare and true. You have the type of love the rest of us spend our lives searching for. It’s plain to see—for anyone to see— how much you adore each other. And if you finally made it official, good for you. You shouldn’t give that up no matter what. ”

“I think he might have been in love with Carol.”

“Carol Marcus? He liked her sure, we all did, and were sad when she…when the accident happened. But what Leonard and Carol had in common was that they were both in love with you. Leonard’s always been in love with you. And you can deny it all you like but you love him too.”

“Yes, but..”

“There is no but. If you love him, go and be with him. Or get him to come here. You have a son now. You’re a family. You’ll never be happy sailing the stars without him.”

Jim stared down at the holograph, chewing on his lip. Scotty patted his knee. “Now, you mentioned something about breakfast, eh? Let’s go for a quick tour and then we can grab a bite. I’d not be adverse to a sandwich.”

* * *

The day after Jim left, Bones did everything he could to keep life as normal as possible for David. As much as he wanted to call in sick and lie under the covers nursing his broken heart, he forced himself to get up and go through David’s normal morning routine, feigning cheer for the baby as best he could. He tried hard not to remember Jim getting the baby up, learning to change him, his cheerful morning chatter with David while Bones dressed. 

Jim was gone, off to sail the stars. He and David better get used to life without Jim in it.

He handed the baby over to Mrs. Taylor and headed to work. Now that the bright sparkle of the holidays was over, there was nothing to ameliorate the dull grayness of his day at the clinic. He saw patients, chatted with the nurses, and ate at his favorite deli for lunch. Not a single person mentioned the holo-pictures to him. Most people knew him as Doctor Bones but he’d long ago ceased being a curiosity to the people that he worked with or his patients. 

If Jim intruded on his thoughts, he forced himself think of something else—reciting symptoms for some of the worst xeno-diseases in his head. In some ways, the agony would be less if Jim had never come back, if Bones had never known all that might have been possible between them. Letting go the first time, after Jim disappeared into that black hole, had been horrible. Now, knowing how incredible they were together, having had all his dreams snatched away, the ache was nearly unbearable.

After he got David down that night, Bones laid on the sofa in the den, resolutely NOT thinking of making out with Jim on this very sofa—maybe he’d set fire to it in the backyard and get another one—when the holo call he’d expected all day came in. He cowardly considered not answering it but he knew his friend would just barge across the continent, pregnant or not, if he ignored her for too long.

“Hi, Ny.” 

“What’s Jim doing here in San Francisco?” 

“I assume he’s meeting with the Admiralty to discuss what ship he’ll get and how long he’ll get to take her out.”

“Why aren’t you here with him?”

“I don’t belong to Starfleet anymore.”

“Leonard, am I going to have to play twenty questions here?” Nyota crossed her arms over her chest. He couldn’t see it from the holoscreen but he knew she would be tapping her foot. Any second now, she’d swing her long ponytail over her shoulder and raise one eyebrow at him—a trick she’d learned from her Vulcan spouse. 

“He left. Yesterday, after those pictures broke, Starfleet PR showed up and Jim headed off with them.”

“And you let him?”

“What was I supposed to do, Nyota? Fling my arms around his legs and beg him not to go? I mean, he said he wanted to be a family and all but…”

“Jim doesn’t have much experience of family.” Bones nodded. He’d known that. He just hadn’t clarified his definition.

“So he’s off sailing the stars and I’m going to raise our son.” Bones shrugged.

“But, I thought…It seemed to be going so well…like you two were finally going to act on your feelings…”

“We did.” Bones sat up and rubbed his hands over his face, fighting the memories of them together on this very sofa, just a few nights before. “And…he left anyway. He says he’s coming back but you know Jim. He’ll be star bound as soon as possible and…”

“And you don’t want to be left behind?”

“What kind of life is that for David? For me? Jim checking in every few years. No, better to make a clean break now.”

“Even as you break both your hearts?”

“Just mine, I think.” Bones smiled at her bitterly and she shook her head. 

“Leonard, he’s been in love with you for years. Anyone with eyes could see it.”

“Jim Kirk doesn’t do love. I’ve known that for a long time. He’ll go off to sail the stars and I’ll stay here.”

“Why are those the only two choices here? You could practice here, in San Francisco. Either or both of you could teach at the Academy. When David is older, you could still go on missions—perhaps not five year deep space missions but, after Jim’s little misadventure, Starfleet isn’t handing out deep space missions like that right now anyway. You’ve locked yourself into a false choice.”

“Nyota…” Bones shook his head, tired and weary. 

“You both want to be together, don’t you? Then, be together. The details matter a bit less, I think.”

“I’ll think about it, Nyota. We had a terrible fight. I said some awful things.”

“You two fought four times a day on the Enterprise. I’m sure it’s fixable.” Bones laughed, for the first time feeling just the tiniest bit more hopeful.


	17. Chapter 17

After attending the Remembrance Day ceremonies in the morning, in full view of as many official Starfleet holo-graphers as possible, Jim spent his birthday alone in San Francisco. He walked around Kelvin Memorial Park, watching the wreathes around the base of the obelisk memorial, their blue and white ribbons fluttering in the breeze. The Kelvin family—his father and brother gone, his mother living in the stars, and him. And now he supposed David too. 

“Space is disease and danger, wrapped in darkness and silence.” Jim heard the echo of Bones’ words to him, that long ago day on the shuttle out of Riverside. 

And there was no one who knew that better than James Tiberius Kirk, christened among the detritus of a starship, only seconds before his father’s sacrifice. If anyone knew and understood the dangers of space, it was Jim Kirk. 

But, space was also alive with hope and possibility, adventure, and light. He’d found that on his mission, with his beloved ship and crew. He missed it. He glanced up at the pewter sky, laden with fog and clouds. The stars shone on above him, invisible. 

Jim missed his lover. He missed his son. Without them, space would be dark and cold and desperately lonely. But Bones was right. His son—their son—was just too young to travel the stars with them. Jim considered anew the sacrifice his father made, to give him and his mother their lives.

All his life, he’d wanted to follow in his dad’s footsteps, to make a ghost proud of him. He’d taken Pike’s challenge and beaten it. He, and his crew, his beloved ship, saved the world—twice. He’d come back from the brink of death due to Bones’ eternal love for him. And he sensed that George Kirk would be proud of him, of all he’d accomplished.

But now he had to make a sacrifice of his own. Captaining his own ship was not worth it, if it meant he lost David and Bones. He couldn’t explain it, would never have chosen this path for himself, but now that he had David, he was a father. He was shocked to find that he wanted to be, wanted to experience fatherhood. And he couldn’t imagine leaving him behind or not being part of his life. 

And Bones…he adored Bones. When he was a kid, Tiberius told him that he’d know he was in love when all the songs made sense. His pre-teen self scoffed at the ridiculous concept of soul mates but he knew, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that in this universe or any other, he and Bones belonged together.

He stood, dusting the seat of his pants off and headed for the shuttle station. He needed to go home, to Bones and to David. 

***

“They offered me the Endeavor.” Jim blurted when Bones opened the front door, David on his hip. David smiled in greeting and leaned toward Jim. Bones showed no such welcoming inclinations, his scowl darker than ever.

“You came all this way to tell me that?”

“I turned it down.” Bones’ eyes widened and Jim, wary of hidden holo-paps, pushed inside and shut the door. 

“What I actually came all this way to tell you is I want us to get married.” 

“No way.” Bones shook his head at him. 

Jim continued as though Bones hadn’t spoken, “Because I want you to have legal rights to David, in case something happens. Because you’re my best friend. Because we have amazing sex and I want to keep doing it for the rest of my life, in every way I can imagine.”

“That’s a romantic proposal.” Bones rolled his eyes, turning away from Jim to walk toward the kitchen, David still on his hip.

“Okay. How’s this?” Jim grabbed Bones’ bicep and yanked him back around to face him. He sucked in a deep breath and went for broke. “I’ve been in love with you for eight years and you never, ever noticed. I crazy adore you and have from the moment you threw up on my shoes. I love that you’re cranky and loyal and have a heart of gold. I love that I can trust you and I know you trust me. I love that you’re the only person I want by my side, always. I love that you’re smart and caring and compassionate. I love that we can watch a holo-vid together or have unbelievable adventures. I love the way that you’ll follow me off a cliff, even though you hate it. I love watching you with patients. I love watching you with our son. I love the way your eyes turn green when you’re looking at me like I’m nuts and how they turn the color of bourbon when I’m inside you.”

Bones blinked at Jim, looking totally stunned. David gurgled and leaned toward Jim again. Jim took him and settled him on his hip, brushing his lips over his downy head before he kept talking.

“You have always been the best friend I could ever have…I never thought you wanted me like that. I never thought it was possible so I just…I locked it away in the back of my mind. You were my CMO, my friend and, even though I dreamt of taking you to bed, I tried to make the friendship be enough.”

Jim sucked in a breath and blew it out, his eyes locked on Bones’ face. “I cannot be without you, Bones. You are essential to me. And, God help me, I do love this baby, even though he deserves far better than me. Because, my life is empty without you and David. You both belong with me and I belong with you—with both of you. I love you. I know you love me. We have a son. I want us to be a family. The rest—where we live, where we work, that’s all just details. We’ll work it out. But I can’t do it without you.”

“I’m so sorry for all the terrible things I said.” Bones whispered, as Jim wrapped his free arm around him and Bones snuggled them both close. “I love you too.” 

“Do you think… Do you think we can craft some sort of family for him?”

“We’ll figure it out, Jim.” Bones tilted his face up and kissed him deeply then. 

And Jim was happy to finally be home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, my end note didn't post the first time...
> 
> The quote about all the songs making sense is from the TV show _Castle_. And Jim's speech is heavily borrowed from Harry (Billy Crystal)'s speech to Sally in _When Harry Met Sally_.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moving day...

Star News One

Nina Bailey reporting from San Francisco…

Captain Flirt is off the market, ladies. Today, on Valentine’s Day, in a private ceremony at the Starfleet Officer’s Club, Captain James Tiberius Kirk married the Enterprise’s former Chief Medical Officer, Leonard Horatio McCoy. The ceremony was officiated by their Vulcan former First Officer Spock and witnessed by former Chief Engineer, Montgomery Scott, and former Communications Officer, Nyota Uhura, as well as the couples’ fourteen month old son, David Marcus Kirk-McCoy. 

After a brief honeymoon at an undisclosed location, the happy couple will make their home in San Francisco while Captain Kirk heads up the Command track at Starfleet Academy and his new husband becomes the Chief of Starfleet Medical Research.

As I mentioned, the Kirk-McCoy’s kept the ceremony very private but Starfleet did release a single holo-graph of the happy couple, dancing their first dance to Fly Me to the Moon by Frank Sinatra, with their son held between them.

 

* * *

“Honeymooning in an undisclosed location, my ass.” Bones complained as he heard the report of their wedding, yet again. He stopped to admire the holo-graph of them dancing together. When David heard their wedding song, he’d insisted on being picked up so they’d all danced together. Bones loved that photograph of one of the happiest moments of his life. “Isn’t there any other news to report?” 

Jim laughed from the hallway as he hauled in yet another box full of David’s toys and dropped it in his new bedroom. “Kid has more toys than a toy store.” 

“You bought him most of those new toys!” Bones reminded him. 

Instead of taking a honeymoon, Bones and Jim spent the week after their wedding moving across country. They’d found a lovely Craftsman style home in the hills above the Academy, with a wide, spacious backyard, with views of the sparkling bay. Jim managed to talk Bones into returning to Starfleet Medical and back to San Francisco they went. 

Bones pulled off his t-shirt to wipe his face and collapsed onto the newly assembled guest room bed, wondering where he’d packed the sheets. His energetic husband buzzed around the upstairs, half-heartedly unpacking boxes and generally making a bigger mess. At moments like this, Bones really noticed their six year age difference. He sighed, sitting up as Jim rounded the corner, holding another box. He tossed it to the ground and strode toward the bed.

“No one told me that a bit of afternoon delight was on the menu.” His new husband said with a wink and a leer. Bones rolled his eyes at the cheesy line, laughing as Jim crawled into his lap and pushed him down on the bed, kissing his way down Bones’ neck. Other than their wedding night, they hadn’t had a moment alone all week. The movers just left and Uhura and Spock had kindly taken David for the day so Jim and Bones could settle in.

“I cannot believe you have the energy to back that up.” Bones said, feeling every ache and pain all over his body as Jim wiggled on top of him.

“I come into the bedroom to find my gorgeous husband half naked on the bed, all glistening with sweat. I think you’re trying to seduce me, Doctor Kirk-McCoy.” At that, Jim lowered his head to capture Bones’ mouth. The passion always simmering just beneath the surface roared instantly to full blaze. Bones pulled Jim’s t-shirt off and kissed him again, running his hands down Jim’s muscled back.

“Besides, you promised me that we could christen every room in the house.” Jim commented as he lifted his head.

“I didn’t mean the first day.”

“Should have been more specific, Bonesy. Where’d you pack the lube?”

“No idea.” 

“Good thing I know where my emergency back-up is.” Jim dashed out of the room and down the hall. Bones heard him rummaging in boxes in the master bath and, just as he was getting ready to go help him look, Jim returned. Shirtless, with the top two buttons on his jeans undone, Jim looked like a centerfold. Despite his exhaustion, Bones felt more than a flicker of interest. How was this gorgeous man his husband?

Jim pulled off Bones’s shoes and jeans. He sighed happily when he saw Bones was commando. And already hard and ready for him. He bent and licked a stripe up Bones before swirling his talented tongue over the head of his cock. Bones moaned, burying his fingers in his husband’s hair, fighting the overwhelming urge to thrust up into the hot, wet heat of his husband’s plush mouth. Jim brought him just to the edge of orgasm before standing up to strip off the rest of his clothes. 

He slicked his fingers with lube before gently preparing Bones, crooking his fingers just right. Bones canted his hips off the bed, ready and eager. They just got hotter together, every time. With his free hand, Jim stroked Bones’ cock, long, leisurely strokes, in time with the brush of his fingertips against Bones’ prostate. Bones thrust up, moaning Jim’s name, nearly there…

Jim stopped. Bones opened his eyes, ready to complain about the interruption, when he caught sight of Jim’s face. His eyes glittered with desire and his mouth crooked into a knowing grin. “Wanna be inside you when you come, Bones.”

He thrust deep and Bones groaned through the stretch. He wouldn’t last long. He grabbed for Jim’s hips, pressing bruises into his pale skin as they thrust together. Bones bit his lip when Jim brushed his prostate, once, twice, again… Colors burst behind his eyes as he crested into orgasm, Jim following him and collapsing on his chest.

“Love you, Jimmy.” Bones whispered when he could speak again, wrapping his arms around his husband and stroking his back.

“Love you too, Bonesy.” Jim pressed a kiss to his cheek before rolling to his side. “Are you okay with returning to San Francisco? To Starfleet Medical?” 

Bones turned to look at Jim, laying on his side, next to him. “Home is where you and David are, Jim.” 

He groaned as his handsome husband leaned in to kiss him again. “What room do you want to christen next, Bonesy?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally, the report of their wedding was supposed to be the first epilogue. But, since so many readers wanted to see what happens next, I wrote the moving day scene. Hope you like it!


	19. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy Easter!

When Bones heard Joanna cooing to herself on the holo-baby monitor, he headed upstairs to dress her for the party. He entered the nursery—still starship themed—and crossed to the crib, where his six-month old daughter, lay on her back, holding her toes. When she caught sight of her daddy, she flung her arms up with a squeal of delight. Joanna was such a good-natured, happy child, just like her brother had been before her. 

“There you are, little miss. About time you got up. You’re missing the party.” Outside the window, happy shouts and squeals came from the Easter Egg hunt Jim spent the pre-dawn hours setting up. He’d gotten up at zero dark thirty for his habitual jog before coming home to hide about a thousand eggs in their spacious back lawn. Then, he’d slipped into bed with his husband to get warm and cuddle which lead to leisurely morning blow jobs that were interrupted by David finding his own Easter basket and waking his sister up. Such were the joys of family life.

Their household was always chaos but Bones found that he loved it. After their move back to San Francisco two years before, Bones joined Starfleet Medical Research while Jim taught command classes at the Academy. To their surprise, they both loved their jobs. And then they’d decided to complete their family with the addition of the beautiful Joanna via surrogate.

“Did you need your beauty sleep today, huh?” Bones picked the baby up and nuzzled her as she giggled. He carried her to the changing table and, after changing her, put on her lacy, white eyelet Easter dress. He tried to put on her matching lacy bonnet but Joanna gave him a scowl that he recognized as his own in miniature. She promptly pulled the hat off her head and hid her face behind it to play peek-a-boo. He’d never had a bit of luck keeping a hat on her head. His daughter had inherited his stubborn streak.

“Okay, then, you win, JoJo.” Bones picked her up and placed her on his shoulder before carrying her downstairs. He stopped in the kitchen, full of the fragrant scent of roasting ham for dinner later along with the rolls Bones baked fresh that morning, before exiting the house to the backyard, carrying JoJo’s bottle and a burp cloth.

He found Jim nearly instantly, at the heart of the chaos of the Easter egg hunt. He was helping Spock and Nyota’s youngest daughter, Noelle, scoop her spilled eggs back into her basket. Bones found a seat near Chekov, who sat with his and Sulu’s sleeping infant son on his lap, under their blossoming cherry tree. They sat for a bit, observing the scene, as the fragile pink blossoms cascaded down around them.

The yard, with its views of the sparkling bay under a perfect blue, cloudless sky—nearly the exact color of his husband’s eyes—was full of Starfleet kids and their families. Their parents mostly tried to help Jim contain the chaos. Nyota struggled to pull her three year old twins out of the flower bushes while their dog Jasper looked on, barking merrily. Bones tried to interest JoJo in her bottle but she was far more interested in watching the children dashing around the lawn.

“I think zhe wants to get down and run.” Chekov laughed.

Bones nodded. “Once she’s mobile, I’ll never be able to keep up with her.” 

Four year old David dashed over to Bones and Joanna, toting an overlarge plaid Easter basket, filled to the brim with colorful, plastic eggs. “Daddy, I got eleventy-hundred eggs!”

“Eleventy-hundred! Did you leave any for the others?” JoJo clapped and squealed with glee to see her favorite person in the world.

Jim came up to them, out of breath from his exertions keeping the kids amused. His eyes met Bones and they smiled at each other, love and happiness flowing between them. Jim reached for Joanna and swung her high as David clambered onto Bones’ lap to show Daddy his collection of eggs and discover the prizes inside. 

“Don’t you look pretty?” Jim nuzzled Joanna. He hadn’t known David when he was JoJo’s age and Jim seemed determined to get the full parenting experience this time around. Bones watched with a smile as JoJo snuggled contentedly into Jim’s shoulder. 

Just then, through the side gate, the Easter Bunny arrived, with a wave for the kids, who immediately swarmed toward the rabbit, David leaping off Bones’ lap to join in. 

“Who’d you sucker into that?” Bones nodded as the kids ran across the yard. He stood to take JoJo back from Jim so he could join the fun.

“Spock!” Jim and Bones laughed together before Jim pressed a kiss to Bones’ cheek and headed over to manage the scrum of children around the bunny before his former First Officer ended up on his fluffy butt. 

“Happy Easter, baby girl.” Bones whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all your wonderful comments and kudos. I'm so glad this story got such a great reception.
> 
> I am planning to write and post more "Moonverse" drabbles so, if you have any prompts or things you especially want to see, drop me a line.
> 
> Also, I'm currently posting an Academy story titled "Paint the Stars" as well as working on a George and Winona story so be sure to check those out!


	20. Chapter 20

For all my _Fly Me to the Moon_ fans, thought you might want to check out the sequel.

Set 16 years in the future, what happens when Jim channels Clark Griswold and decides he wants a good old fashioned family Christmas celebration with Bones, David, and Joanna. Check out _Captain Christmas and the Real McCoy_ at: http://archiveofourown.org/works/2642306/chapters/5899628


End file.
